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Vaccines

Members of West Virginia’s House Health and Human Services Committee have injected a measure of common sense responsibility into the conversation about vaccine requirements for public and private school students in the state. When state Senate Bill 460 made its way over to the House of Delegates, it included dangerous exemptions for religious and philosophical reasons. In an 18-7 vote, members of the House committee removed them. Good. The amended version of SB 460 that will now go before the full House still would allow a licensed physician, physician assistant, or nurse ...

NCAA

Mountaineers — always free, sure; but also, always willing to be good sports, take responsibility, accept when things don’t go our way without whining about it, and focus on what is really important for our state and our families. We don’t run to legal action and investigations every time we’re disappointed in the way things have turned out. In fact, here, we frown upon frivolous legal action and wastes of time and taxpayer dollars. There’s difficult work to be done, after all. There are needs upon which those we elected to serve MUST be focusing. Unless, apparently, ...

Mysterious

The COVID-19 pandemic is essentially a scourge of the past, although it has not been defeated completely. Unfortunately, though, what is happening at this time in Africa’s Democratic Republic of Congo, if it remains a mystery for very long and remains unchecked, could evolve into something even more horrific than the horrors that COVID-19 inflicted. This country must mobilize whatever protective measures and resources it can muster to try to ensure that Africa’s current challenge never reaches America’s shores. But even those most optimistic regarding America’s capabilities ...

Economy

“With the Legislature back in session, it’s important that lawmakers focus on policies that will ignite our workforce and strengthen Main Street.” Gil White, National Federation of Independent Business West Virginia state director, was responding to news that small business job creation weakened nationwide in February. “The ongoing worker shortage continues to impact West Virginia small business owners’ ability to serve their customers and grow their businesses,” he said. Data from the NFIB Jobs Report showed 38% (seasonally adjusted) of small business owners reported ...

Clock is Ticking

Today marks day 34 of the West Virginia Legislature’s 60-day regular session. After quick movement the past few sessions on issues important to West Virginia’s future, lawmakers have, at least to date, focused primarily on social and cultural matters along with a few election-related items. These are not bills that will help your average West Virginian pay their bills, nor items that will provide opportunities for youth to remain here. That’s important to note. The election-related matters included a ban on ranked-choice voting — something that wasn’t being done here — ...

Partisanship

Members of the state Senate sent a clear message to voters Wednesday: We don’t trust you to become informed enough on your own to elect judges; and we think so little of you that we believe you can be swayed solely by looking at the letter after a candidate’s name. Back in 2015, state lawmakers (with a brand new Republican majority) did the right thing by making judicial elections nonpartisan in West Virginia. At the time, House Bill 2010 was understood by so many to be the ethical and responsible step to take that it passed the House of Delegates 90-9 and the Senate 33-1. Today, ...