The Herald-Dispatch The West Virginia Legislature is again considering proposals to restore the death penalty. This time it is aimed at people who kill police officers or other first responders in the line of duty. As of Monday morning, Senate Bill 264 and House Bill 2567 were in committee waiting[Read More…]
Editorial Page
Laken’s Law and GameChanger: Saving lives in West Virginia
By Jack Cipoletti Early in the 2024 WV Legislative session, the House passed HB 5540, better known as Laken’s Law. It was signed by the Governor in March and took effect in May. It created a Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Education Act, requiring annual education of public school students in grades 6 through[Read More…]
Gazette-Mail editorial: Smoke and mirrors of WV finances exposed
Charleston Gazette-Mail Not too long ago, then-Gov. Jim Justice, now a U.S. senator, was touting a $1.3 billion surplus in state revenue. Such a windfall, Justice said, must be used to cut the state’s income tax, if not repeal it entirely. So, Justice and the West Virginia Legislature, controlled by[Read More…]
Editorial: Setting standards for the judiciary
The Intelligencer It’s been about a decade since the last time the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals worked on updates to the state Code of Judicial Conduct. Think about how much the world has changed since the last revision to that code, in November 2015. For that matter think[Read More…]
Editorial: Needle programs need second look
The Intelligencer Whether it be willful ignorance or a genuine misunderstanding of the broad range of strategies necessary to tackle a dual public health crisis in Appalachia, elected officials and policymakers are handicapping efforts against one of the major dangers spawned by our region’s substance abuse epidemic. A KFF Health[Read More…]
Gazette-Mail editorial: Just what is happening at Pleasants plant?
Charleston Gazette-Mail One corporate executive told the West Virginia Legislature that a project to refit the Pleasants Power Station near Belmont is in desperate need of federal funding or it will collapse. Another told lawmakers that everything is fine. Nothing to see here. What gives? The Pleasants Power Station has[Read More…]
Editorial: Ensure mineral appraisals are correct
The Weirton Daily Times As December sets in, West Virginia mineral rights owners can be assured of one certainty: receiving a notice in the mail of their new mineral rights valuation. And just as it’s a certainty that notice will arrive, it’s also clear that the valuation, as far as[Read More…]
Gazette-Mail editorial: How Smith could be better WV Senate prez than Blair
Charleston Gazette-Mail Sen. Randy Smith, R-Tucker, has his share of faults, but the likely West Virginia Senate president can do one thing right out of the gate in the 2025 legislative session that would put him above his predecessor, Sen. Craig Blair, R-Berkeley: He could follow proper legislative procedure under[Read More…]
Editorial: AEP investments show increasing dislike of coal
Wayne County News November was an interesting month for American Electric Power. The parent company of Appalachian Power and AEP Ohio made three moves that commit AEP to new power generation that meets goals of moving toward carbon-free energy production. On Nov. 14, Appalachian Power announced plans to bring nuclear[Read More…]
Gazette-Mail editorial: Fixing PEIA will require investment from state
Charleston Gazette-Mail Most of the major problems in any category in West Virginia can be addressed in three steps: finding enough money, properly spending it and maintaining that revenue. All too often, the state doesn’t even get to step two. Yet, this is what it is going to take to[Read More…]
