— *** Newspaper Endorsement Week 2014 ***— Down in West Virginia’s southern counties, this year’s congressional race is especially vicious. The extreme-right Koch brothers — sons of a founder of the crackpot John Birch Society — are pouring their inherited wealth into an all-out attempt to knock Rep. Nick Rahall,[Read More…]
Opinion
The Editorial category is a roundup of links to editorials and columns from West Virginia newspapers.
The Charleston Gazette: Natalie Tennant best choice for U.S. Senate
— *** Newspaper Endorsement Week 2014 ***— Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant is an underdog in the race for U.S. Senate. National analysts say West Virginia has shifted so far to the “red” mentality that the state’s first female senator in Washington is likely to be Republican. However, it[Read More…]
The Charleston Gazette: Nick Casey best for Congress
— *** Newspaper Endorsement Week 2014 ***— Around 170,000 lower-income West Virginians have obtained health insurance through the landmark Affordable Care Act. It’s a humanitarian advance for America’s “safety net” that helps people keep working and earning. Yet 2nd District Republican congressional nominee Alex Mooney — an odd out-of-stater who[Read More…]
Harrison County officialdom has a few black eyes
An editorial from The Exponent Telegram CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Harrison County government is starting to resemble the face of a prize fighter who’s taken a beating. That is, it’s sporting a couple of big black eyes. Consider all that’s happened in recent years: * While working as city manager of[Read More…]
Cut Wheeling employee salary, benefit costs
An editorial from The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register WHEELING, W.Va. — Wheeling municipal government needs more of the “right-sizing” Mayor Andy McKenzie urged when he took office more than six years ago. Especially in costs for city employees, municipal spending continues to grow faster than the incomes of most taxpayers who fund it.[Read More…]
Red tape tangling up volunteer fire departments
An editorial from The Inter-Mountain ELKINS, W.Va. — New West Virginia Fire Marshal Tony Carrico has said he wants to reduce the terrible toll fires take in West Virginia. That will be difficult; the risk of dying in a fire here is about 3.3 times the national average, according to the[Read More…]
Marriage ruling is first step toward equal rights
An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — An issue that has been contentious in West Virginia and many other states took a dramatic shift last week when same-sex couples in the Mountain State were allowed to receive marriage licenses and wed. While opponents of gay marriage hold out hope[Read More…]
Harm to seniors: EPA rules impacting electric rates
An editorial from the Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — A recent report from the 60 Plus Association is more reason for concern when it comes to crippling new federal regulations and higher electric bills. The report, which was unveiled last week by U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., and 60[Read More…]
Public should have access to oil-train information
An editorial from The Herald-Dispatch HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A string of accidents involving trains carrying relatively volatile crude oil from what is known as the Bakken region in North Dakota and Montana has heightened public concern about those trains and where they are traveling across the country. The accidents, combined with[Read More…]
State will suffer as a result of ‘Routergate’
An editorial from The Journal MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Mismanagement of a federal “stimulus” grant has come back to haunt West Virginia officials – as well it should. A new investigation of how federal money was spent in our state is a reminder of the damage done by what has come[Read More…]