Opinion

West Virginia Youth Should Embrace Voting

Editorials

There are few duties more important for American citizens than casting their ballots in elections. It is their opportunity to actively influence the way governments operate. And there’s no reason to wait to exercise that right, so it was good to see West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner at Wheeling Park and John Marshall high schools last week touting the importance of registering to vote — and getting juniors and seniors at those schools to register that day. He reminded students that even those who were 17 years old could register and vote in the November general election ...

Light Red vs. Dark Red

Local Columns

We are more than three months away from the candidate filing period for the 2026 midterm elections. All 100 members of the House of Delegates and 17 members of the 34-member state Senate will be up for election next year. Unfortunately for the West Virginia Democratic Party, most if not all — of those elections will be settled during the party primaries on May 12 and the early voting period that precedes that. Republicans control supermajorities in both bodies, with 91 Republicans in the House and 32 Republicans in the Senate. That’s the peak of GOP legislative control at the ...

Morrisey Scores With Energy Plan

Editorials

It’s been easy over the past nine months to see West Virginia not just falling behind, but getting outmatched at every turn in the “Economic Backyard Brawl” against our neighboring states. But perhaps there is a game plan finally coming together on the West Virginia sideline, as earlier this month, Gov. Patrick Morrisey, during a stop in Wheeling, unveiled his “50 by 50 Generation Plan,” which would see the Mountain State increase its baseload power production from its current 15 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts by 2050. That increase — fueled by coal, natural gas and perhaps ...

Pats on the Back

Editorials

- To Ohio County Board of Education members for beginning discussions on a new policy to end a practice that saw only certain cords allowed to be worn at Wheeling Park High School’s graduation. The matter came to light recently when a Boy Scout leader questioned why students who become Eagle Scouts are not allowed to celebrate that at graduation. - To leaders in Moundsville who on Monday unveiled a new story walk along the walking trail at East End Park. The project came about through the efforts of the Marshall County Family Resource Network and city government. The new walk ...

It’s Time To Let Light Shine on the World’s Darkness

Local Columns

It was several years ago we heard the sad news of a comedic genius death in the person of Robin Williams. I was talking to someone about Robin Williams, and they were telling me they remember him from TV, but they only saw the shows in re-runs. I told them that I was old enough to remember seeing it in its original season. Anyone who has been on the planet and watched TV or went to the movies, saw talk shows and news programs has seen Robin Williams. He was born in Chicago on July 21, 1951, studied theater at The Juilliard School before taking his stand-up act to nightclubs. ...

Making the Business Case for West Virginia’s Economy

Local Columns

I participated in my first presidential election in 1992 — well, sort of. Glen Dale Elementary School set up a mock election for the students to participate in, and I remember going into the voting booth and proudly voting for President George H.W. Bush. I guess it’s fair to say I was voting Republican in West Virginia long before it was in style. President Bush lost that election in a landslide to a relatively unknown Arkansas governor — Bill Clinton. The reason for the 1992 outcome can largely be attributed to voter sentiment that was summed up by Clinton’s chief strategist, ...