Early hopeful signs in West Virginia’s fight against COVID-19

Doctor Clay Marsh, sounded hopeful, but also cautious on Talkline Thursday. WVU’s Vice President and Executive Dean for Health Sciences, who Governor Justice has just named the state’s COVID-19 Czar, had just seen new numbers on the infection rate in West Virginia. “Two days ago, it was 5.1 percent (percent of confirmed cases of those

Stimulus bill means lots of help for WV

West Virginia individuals, businesses, healthcare providers, state and local governments all stand to get money from the $2 trillion stimulus bill headed for passage in Congress. The bill is hundreds of pages and has been described as having something for everyone.  Brad McElhinny has more details here. But here’s my take on some key elements

West Virginia’s Day of Prayer

Governor Jim Justice has called for this to be a Day of Prayer in West Virginia, as our citizens adjust to life under the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic fallout. “We should be looking to God every day,” said Justice, who is a devout Christian. “We surely to goodness want to

Community spread of virus causes WV to tighten down

Developments in the coronavirus pandemic are happening rapidly.  Another significant turn came yesterday in West Virginia when WVU Medicine Vice President and Executive Dean for Health Sciences, Dr. Clay Marsh, revealed on Talkline that the state had its first case of COVID-19 as a result of community spread—a woman at a nursing home in Morgantown.

WV gets a last warning before a shutdown

There was considerable build up to Governor Jim Justice’s message to the state Saturday night about the state’s response to the pandemic. Afterward, some were left wondering, “Is that it?” It is true there was no “significant announcement.”  However, what Justice and Dr. Clay Marsh said was, in fact, critically important.  (Read more here from

Is America willing to sacrifice?

We are all now being impacted by the COVID-19 virus, some much more than others. At the top of the list are those who have been sickened, followed closely by those who will become infected. They are followed by individuals who must live under quarantine as a precaution. But then there are the rest—people who

WV school systems step up to feed children during pandemic

During times of tumult is when individuals and institutions do their best to help others. We’re already hearing stories of altruism in West Virginia as the COVID-19 virus dramatically impacts our lives. One of the earliest examples is the West Virginia Department of Education and child nutrition program. That program is vitally important to the

Politics continue in WV, even in the face of the pandemic

Normally this time of year we would be talking and writing a lot about the upcoming election. The West Virginia Primary is just 55 days away. County clerks will begin mailing absentee ballots to voters within a few days. There are some legitimate questions about whether this election can be carried out normally because of

Awaiting the new normal

These are, to say the least, uncertain times. New and updated information as a result of the spreading coronavirus is rushing toward us.  It feels as though we are drinking from a fire hose. Our lives are being upended in ways that seemed improbable just a week ago, and we don’t yet know what the

WV running short on doctors for Alzheimer’s, dementia

Last month I wrote a commentary about Alzheimer’s cruel toll in West Virginia. According to the West Virginia Alzheimer’s Association, 38,000 West Virginians are living with the disease and that number is expected to rise to 44,000 in five years. An estimated 106,000 caregivers are responsible for West Virginians with Alzheimer’s and, annually, caregivers provide

WV tries to get ahead of COVID-19

Earlier this week, I wrote in a commentary about the national media coverage of the coronavirus that, “It’s beginning to feel like some of the coverage is overwrought.” That seems like such a long time ago now.  I wish I had not been so flippant. The stock market’s continued plunge, the mass cancellation of events

WVU & Marshall take an ounce of prevention

West Virginia University and Marshall University have both decided to extend spring break and suspend in-person classes to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Other colleges in the state may follow suit. These decisions immediately prompt hundreds of questions, the first being, “Is this an overreaction?”  After all, as of this writing, West Virginia

WV budget: not too much, not too little, just right

The Legislature and Governor Jim Justice have come a long way since 2017. This time three years ago, Justice and lawmakers were locked in a battle over the state’s budget.  In April 2017, Justice famously called a news conference to veto the budget bill where he lifted a silver lid to reveal a pile of

Municipal land grab proves costly

One of the ways that municipalities can annex land is through the “minor boundary adjustment” provision in the state code.  That method requires no approval by owners of the property to be annexed, only for the municipality to get permission from the county commission. Common sense would tell you that a “minor adjustment” means a

Compromise needed on foster care bill

One of the biggest issues remaining in the final hours of this regular legislative session is what to do about the state’s foster care system. There is general agreement that the system is in crisis. The number of foster care children has risen to over 7,000, largely because of the opioid epidemic. More than 400

Intermediate court vote too close to call

It’s going to be a down-to-the-wire finish this legislative session on the bill that would create an intermediate court of appeals in West Virginia. Just three days remain in the regular session, and the critical House of Delegates vote on SB 275 will likely come Friday. The intermediate court would provide another level to hear

First lawsuit in VA hospital deaths seeks accountability

The first lawsuit over the suspicious deaths at the Louis A. Johnson Veterans Hospital in Clarksburg has been filed. This is the first of many. The suit is brought by Melanie Proctor, daughter of the late Felix Kirk McDermott. He was a retired Army Sgt. who died at the VA hospital on April 9, 2018. But

Time to say goodbye to the handshake

I don’t want to shake your hand, and I really don’t think you want to shake mine. That sounds terrible, I know.  Shaking hands is a traditional greeting that conveys warmth and goodwill.  The custom dates to at least the 5th Century B.C. when the Greeks used the open handshake to demonstrate they were not

College debt? Poof! It’s gone.

Americans have an estimated $1.6 trillion in student debt.  About 43 million Americans are still paying off their college loans, and that can be a heavy burden, depending on how much was borrowed. Democratic Presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have plans to help eliminate that debt.  Warren says she would cancel up to

Here’s how you attract investment dollars to WV

House Speaker Roger Hanshaw is a pretty reserved guy, but if you want to see his eyes light up get him talking about the West Virginia Impact Fund. House bill 4001 appeals to his wonkish approach to trying to improve the state’s economy. It has passed the House and will be taken up in the