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Purple Up

Editorials

Educators across the state understand each child comes to the classroom with different experiences. They try to meet the needs of individuals even while they’re teaching many students at once. Some of those children are part of military families, with their own set of challenges. During Purple Up Month — the month of the military child — members of the state board of education got some updates on efforts to support those kids and their families. “West Virginia has a strong record of citizens volunteering to enlist in a military service at a higher rate than most other states ...

Cleaning house

Columnists

Slowly but surely, Donald Trump is beginning to deconstruct his administration, with the removal of Attorney General Pam Bondi so close on the heels of the ousting of Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem, signals a long-awaited house-cleaning. The MAGA Mar-a-Lago patronage network is finally being not only re-examined but dismantled. Not since the 1920’s and during Watergate has a government seen such a reshuffling of the deck. Trump clearly was sold on a strategy of constantly irritating his opponents with repeated machine gun-like bursts. In the case of Noem, he used her as an ...

W.Va. Hallmark Childcare Bill

Columnists

West Virginians can be proud that our legislature passed family-friendly legislation to increase tax credits for employers providing childcare for children of employees. House Bill 4191 became law last week when Governor Morrissy did not veto it — but did not sign it. At the same time last week President Trump said that the United States should not consider providing childcare when the nation must pay for warfare in Iran. The president’s shortsighted value system does not bode well for our future. This legislation will potentially help to increase the workforce in West Virginia ...

Overreach

Editorials

Federal officials continue to behave as though they have the right to demand access to West Virginia’s full unredacted voter registration database. Earlier this week, U.S. Department of Justice attorneys filed a memorandum asking the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia to compel West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner to turn over that list. Unbelievably, they tried to use the Civil Rights Act to do it. Christopher J. Gardner, a trial attorney for the Voting Section of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, wrote: “Secretary Warner cannot deny the ...

Hidden impact of inexperienced employees

Columnists

Today, due to Baby Boomer retirements and more workplace options, the number of new workers has risen. Inexperienced employees have a huge impact on an organization. This lack of experience can show up in a number of places: from customer service to processes that need to be followed to mistakes and other outcomes. It is the nature of newer people. Even with great onboarding, a person needs time to adjust to working in a different environment.   Yes, when outcomes have gotten worse, it is good to look at what could be causing the change. This often requires a fresh look at ...

Salute

Editorials

April is National Volunteer Month, a period to honor those who graciously give their time every day to help others. It’s one of the younger of such celebrations, established by President George H.W. Bush in 1991 as part of his 1,000 Points of Light initiative, but youth doesn’t take away from its importance. Because there’s no taking away from the importance of volunteers in our communities. They’re in our churches, our schools and our nursing homes. Nonprofit organizations couldn’t exist without them, as their compassion and call to serve provide essential assistance and ...