Opinion

Small Businesses in West Virginia Need Help

Editorials

Though the usual suspects have tried again this year to get a few bizarre socio-cultural bills in front of lawmakers, the majority have displayed an impressive dedication to the goal set at the beginning of the session: put Jobs First — Opportunity Everywhere. In fact Senate Bill 1, the Small Business Growth Act, made its way to the governor’s desk unusually quickly. In a nutshell, the act establishes the West Virginia First Small Business Growth Program, with specialized growth funds collecting capital from investors to provide financing to eligible small businesses that ...

Voting Makes The Biggest Difference

Editorials

If you’re beginning to feel as though the stakes in this year’s elections are unusually high, you are not alone. Even a cursory glance at newspaper opinion pages or social media feeds will tell you there are strong feelings on many important issues — and plenty of people believe they must weigh in on the candidates who might address those issues. Here’s the problem. When it really counts — Election Day — those opinion pieces or social media posts will not move the needle. Your vote will; and primary elections are closer than you might think. According to the West Virginia ...

Community Foundation Continuing Good Work Locally

Editorials

Thanks to the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley, 11 Ohio Valley nonprofit organizations are getting a financial boost to continue the good work they do in the community. Those organizations shared in more than $70,000 in Community Impact Grants that the CFOV distributed this week. Organizations earning those grants included the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division Probation Department, CASA for Children, Catholic Charities West Virginia, Childrens Home of Wheeling, Inc., City of Steubenville Parks and Recreation, Hancock and Brooke Young Professionals, Laughlin ...

A Positive Move Forward

Editorials

An Ohio state law has already made a positive impact locally, on the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Martins Ferry resident Hannah Patterson was named to the board, becoming the first person with a lived experience to be a member of the board. Ohio law now requires that appointing authorities include at least one person with a developmental disability when making initial appointments or filling vacancies on county boards. Patterson, who has cerebral palsy, said her place on the county board of developmental disabilities is an important move. “I feel it is ...

Warner Protecting West Virginia Voters

Editorials

As West Virginia state officials have been doing for several years now, Secretary of State Kris Warner pushed back against federal overreach this week when he announced the Mountain State “will not volunteer the release of personally identifying information of every registered West Virginian to the U.S. Department of Justice. Warner said the Department of Justice has sent requests to almost every state seeking registered voters’ information such as ID numbers, Social Security numbers and other identifying information. His office was having none of it. “West Virginians entrust ...

Quick Work Shown To Resolve Windsor Manor Situation

Editorials

There was good news for Windsor Manor Apartments residents last week, as the condemnation order that had been slapped on the building had been lifted after what was called an “aggressive pest control effort” was completed. The apartments had been issued the order by the City of Wheeling in January after inspections uncovered infestations of roaches and bed bugs. The complex then had one month to get the pest situation under control. “Management was very responsive and communicative with our building officials,” said Brenda J. Delbert, director of Building and Planning for the ...