Opinion

We Cannot Lose Another West Virginian to Suicide

Local Columns

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and here in West Virginia, the urgency couldn’t be higher. Our state is no stranger to hardship, but the current mental health crisis demands clear-eyed attention and bold action. In 2023, West Virginia’s age-adjusted suicide rate stood at 18.6 per 100,000 people, among the highest in the nation and significantly above the national average. That is 349 West Virginians we have lost in one year alone. Though this is slightly less than 2022, West Virginians deserve more. The numbers are more than data — they are human lives. In the ...

Measles Vaccine Is Safe

Editorials

As political chatter raises questions about vaccines and legal requirements for them, some news close to home should remind us of their importance. According to the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, a measles outbreak was confirmed in the county on Aug. 29. Three children from the same family — all unvaccinated. And while those children are reportedly improving at home, the health department’s task now is to work with the family “to identify and follow-up with any exposure and contacts, and help where needed.” The Ohio news made its way into a report by the ...

Consider Signing Up To Be a Poll Worker

Editorials

One of the most important jobs we as American citizens have is letting our voices be heard at the ballot box. In order for us to do that, we rely on the poll workers who help make each of those polling places operate without a hitch. Yet elections officials around the Ohio Valley are searching for more people to fill that crucial role. Eberle Ferrell, director of the Belmont County Board of Elections, recently said she is looking for more poll workers in her county, especially Democrats, as each polling place needs bipartisan representation among its workforce. The need is ...

Lawmakers Must Listen To Voters

Editorials

Data from the most recent WV MetroNews West Virginia poll, presented during this year’s state Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Business Summit, contained “a warning sign … for political leadership in the state.” Despite the incessant dive by too many elected officials for the cheapest possible political points, most West Virginians (73% of those registered voters who were polled) are more worried about economic development and jobs than social issues. “By a clear majority, nearly three-fourths … said the Legislature should be focusing on economic development issues ...

Lawmakers Must Listen To Voters

Editorials

Data from the most recent WV MetroNews West Virginia poll, presented during this year’s state Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Business Summit, contained “a warning sign … for political leadership in the state.” Despite the incessant dive by too many elected officials for the cheapest possible political points, most West Virginians (73% of those registered voters who were polled) are more worried about economic development and jobs than social issues. “By a clear majority, nearly three-fourths … said the Legislature should be focusing on economic development issues ...

Fairs a Fun Time for Young and Old

Editorials

As the calendar has turned to September and fall is approaching, fairs and festivals are getting into full swing around the Ohio Valley — and valley residents would be silly not to visit. The fun has begun this week with the Belmont County Fair, a 176-year tradition that offers all of the classic fair of rides, livestock exhibits, food games and more. The same can be said this week for the West Alexander Fair just across the West Virginia-Pennsylvania border. Barnesville gets into the act on Sept. 22-25 when it hosts its annual Pumpkin Festival. That not only features fair and ...