By Rusty Marks and Rachel Molenda Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Most West Virginians woke up to subzero temperatures on Tuesday — and for some, the day that followed was filled with frozen water pipes, cars that wouldn’t start and desperate attempts to stay warm. But the biggest problem[Read More…]
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Family court mediation system works
An editorial from the Exponent Telegram CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — Getting a divorce is a wrenching personal circumstance that can be hurtful not only to the spouses, but especially the children. This is why the family court system and its mediation component are so helpful in smoothing out the rough spots.[Read More…]
Help available for those who can’t pay utility bills
By Emily Gallagher Times West Virginian FAIRMONT, W.Va. — With temperatures reaching into the negatives this week and more winter still to come, heating bills can climb higher than in other months. For low-income residents in West Virginia, there is help for handling those high utility bills. The West Virginia[Read More…]
First, learn the facts about minimum wage
An editorial from the Charleston Daily Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House Democratic leadership wants legislators to impose a state minimum wage on employers in this year’s legislative session. It’s part of a legislative agenda they cleverly call FEED, which they say stands for Families, Education, Energy and Development. A[Read More…]
The Associated Press shares 10 things to know Wednesday, Jan. 8
Dorothy Abernathy, The Associated Press bureau chief for West Virginia and Virginia, shares the 10 things you need to know Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014. Look for full stories on these late-breaking news items, upcoming events and stories in West Virginia newspapers: 1. ARCTIC AIR EASES GRIP ON MUCH OF THE[Read More…]
WVPA Sharing: West Virginia lacking funds for highway efforts
By GEORGE HOHMANN West Virginia Press Association SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – With a stagnant population base, rising costs and fewer federal dollars, West Virginia Department of Transportation is cutting back on investments in new roads, according to state Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox Jr. Money is the real issue because costs keep increasing and revenue is[Read More…]
WVPA Sharing: ‘Future Fund’ seen as good idea, but there’s no consensus on details
By GEORGE HOHMANN West Virginia Press Association SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Senate President Jeff Kessler’s push for a state fund that squirrels away some severance tax money for future needs has some industry support, but there’s no agreement on the details. Kessler’s “Future Fund” idea was among the[Read More…]
Agriculture loan program: ‘no rules, regulations or oversight’
By Phil Kabler Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A preliminary legislative audit released Monday has uncovered evidence of mismanagement and a lack of internal controls in a $5 million revolving loan program administered by the state Department of Agriculture. Auditors found that 25 of 40 outstanding Rural Rehabilitation Loan Program[Read More…]
Legislature should revisit Marcellus drilling now
An editorial from the Dominion Post MORGANTOWN — For all their scientific bent, a series of legislative studies on horizontal gas well drilling are short of useful data. Couple that with the state Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) reluctance to recommend any action, and we haven’t even begun tapping into[Read More…]
America’s morality changing rapidly
An editorial from the Charleston Gazette CHARLESTON, W.Va. — We often observe that America’s morality keeps evolving — but we’ve never seen a transformation as swift as the snowballing U.S. acceptance of gays and same-sex marriage. Just a half-century ago, it was still a felony to be gay in West[Read More…]
