Local Columns

West Virginia Must Remain Leader in Childhood Immunizations

West Virginia has long led the nation in an important public health measure: school-age immunization rates. West Virginia has one of the most effective school immunization policies in the nation, resulting in high vaccination rates and low rates of vaccine-preventable diseases. West Virginia’s effective immunization policies should be kept strong by not allowing nonmedical exemptions. However, there is a minority who want to loosen our state’s childhood immunization requirements to allow nonmedical exemptions. This is being presented to our state legislators now. Any non-medical ...

Marshall Memo: Progress in Moundsville in 2022; Steel Drums; and Book Signings

The city of Moundsville’s 2022 Year-End Report was submitted to city council members by City Manager Rick Healy Tuesday. “As we continue to see progress, it is evident that the changes and improvements we are making affects our citizens, businesses and visitors both directly and indirectly,” Healy said. “Knowing we have such a significant impact is true responsibility. I take that responsibility (and I know you do very seriously and personally.” Healy discussed 2022 accomplishments, along with his looking forward to 2023. He made mention of the 1 percent Municipal Use Tax ...

Biden Policies Hurting America

“I’m tearful because I sit here looking at upcoming bills and I’m having to decide to pay a bill or buy groceries.” That’s what one West Virginian wrote to me, but unfortunately, it’s a common theme I’m hearing all across our state. In reality, families in West Virginia and across our nation continue to struggle because the policies and priorities of the Biden administration have made essential items and goods unaffordable. Whether it be gas, goods and services, energy prices, utility costs, small business expenses, home mortgages, or simply the ability to put food on ...

On Culture War Bills and Tax Cut Chances

Prior to the start of the 2023 legislative session, I warned about the real possibility of lawmakers getting distracted by culture war bills, bills that are red meat for Republican-base voters, controversial for the small minority of progressive voters, but ultimately bills dealing with issues not happening in West Virginia.With the Republican super-duper majorities, these culture war bills are not proving as much of a distraction as I thought they would. The bills are moving fairly quickly, at least on the House of Delegates’ side of the Capitol.I sat in the House chamber Friday as ...

Sen. Ryan Weld: Potential for Foreign Land Purchases Worth Discussion

I’ve previously spoken about my experiences as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force and why that experience led me to advocate for a ban of the Chinese-owned app TikTok on state-owned devices. Since issuing that call, legislation has been introduced and quickly passed by ...