Last week, Gov. Jim Justice said he wanted to thank all the front-line heroes in the battle against COVID-19 by doing something nice for them. But, he noted, it is inevitable that any list of such occupations will leave someone off. So the governor decided every West Virginian should receive a ...

Today is a Memorial Day unlike any we can remember. In many ways, we are freer this year to focus on the true reason for the holiday — not picnics, parades and swimming pools, but honoring the men and women who have given their lives in military service to this country. More than 1.35 ...

If state officials manage to avoid a mini-epidemic at the West Virginia prison where, it was announced last week, four people had tested positive for COVID-19, they will pull off something of a miracle. A prison is an unusually friendly place for a virus looking to spread. After weathering two ...

Not since March 1984 has West Virginia’s unemployment rate been so high. Last month, it hit 15.8 percent, matching the rate 36 years ago. Chances are it is even higher now — on Tuesday, Gov. Jim Justice said the number of claims for unemployment compensation since the coronavirus epidemic ...

Since he took office as commissioner of agriculture in January 2017, Kent Leonhardt has worked hard to expand the role of farming in West Virginia’s future. He has gotten results from numerous initiatives. Keeping Leonhardt at his post is important not just to the Mountain State’s ...

West Virginia voters knew in November 2018 that we needed to get back to basics on the state Supreme Court. Justices committed to fairness, honesty, frugality and upholding the law and the state constitution were needed. Voters selected Tim Armstead to fill one of the unexpired terms on the ...

Only about 18 percent of West Virginia’s registered voters have requested absentee ballots for the June 19 primary election. That tells us two things: First, as usual, a substantial number of voters will skip the election. That is a shame. But second, a significant percentage still plan to ...

UP: To news of increased COVID-19 testing in minority communities and high-risk populations in West Virginia. As Gov. Jim Justice put it, making sure those who might be most at-risk, particularly during a potential second wave, have access to the testing that might help keep their whole ...

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and U.S. Rep. David McKinley, both R-W.Va., can be fiercely partisan when they believe it is necessary to defend the people of our region. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, too can toe the party line when it is what is necessary for his constituents. But they also know ...

It is one thing to throw money at a problem. It is something else to keep throwing it while telling recipients they cannot use it to get out of a jam not of their own making. Tuesday, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., proposed another round of federal spending to help ...

Local residents already know it is going to take a lot of common sense for us to make it through the reopening of our economy safely. Fortunately, it appears as though Parkersburg City government understands it will take some flexibility, too. Gov. Jim Justice’s order permitting outdoor ...

If you are a Mountain State resident who during recent years has decided to show your children or grandchildren the wonderful, beautiful spectacle of fireflies, you may have been disappointed. There are significantly fewer of the delightful bugs in our state. Full-blown backyard light shows are ...

We know of no employer who does not agonize about laying off workers. Yet throughout West Virginia, thousands of companies small and large have had to do that during recent weeks, because of the COVID-19 epidemic. In fact, the Mountain State’s unemployment rate was near 22% for April — the ...

UP: To statewide mandatory testing of those in assisted living facilities and daycare staff. If we are to truly reopen our economy while schools are closed, parents will be left with few options unless they are confident their kids are safe in daycare facilities. (Of course, there still must be ...

Though this summer will be like none before it, as we make our way through the best ways to reopen our economy while remaining vigilant for a potential second wave of COVID-19, one thing will remain the same: There will be children in our midst who are hungry. West Virginia’s Summer Food ...

Lest we forget, during this pandemic that has so dramatically changed our lives, there is another crisis affecting too many around us. It is a crisis that has been playing out for many years, and certainly did not disappear just because a new one took the spotlight. COVID-19 may have changed ...

Getting legalized gambling back up and running in West Virginia may not seem a high priority as we prepare to “reopen” our state. But when we’re talking about our state’s economy, it should be. Gov. Jim Justice’s order a few weeks ago to close casinos and limited video lottery ...

Though we have said it before, it bears repeating: Removal of the “hotspot” designation for Wood County and permission to reopen some businesses in our region do NOT mean it is safe to ditch social distancing and prevention measures. Warnings about the perils of ignoring a second wave of ...

Remember bookmobiles — the large vans many libraries used to employ to serve rural residents? More widespread access to personal vehicles and, of course, limited funds prompted the abandonment of many mobile libraries — but the idea may have merit in the digital age. Millions of Americans ...

For many of us, the past several weeks has been eye-opening in terms of how very fortunate we are. Daily gratitude exercises encouraged as a means of combating the depression and anxiety of adapting to our “new normal” have led quite a few folks to understand just how much they truly have. ...