We are not paying the Coast Guard? Seriously?!?

Thousands of members of the U.S. Coast Guard did not get paid yesterday.  They are among the estimated 800,000 federal employees whose checks are being withheld because of the partial government shutdown. CBS News reports that about 42,000 Coast Guard members are working without pay during the shutdown because they are deemed “essential” employees.  About

West Virginia’s economy must be viewed by region

One of the mistakes often made when discussing West Virginia’s economy is looking at the conditions in a monolithic way—the state is doing better, doing worse or staying about the same. This over simplification is often rooted in the monthly release of state tax revenue figures. If tax collections are running at or above estimates,

Manchin considering running for Governor… again

    U.S. Senator Joe Manchin is once again considering running for Governor of West Virginia, according to several people who are familiar with the Senator’s thinking. At first glance, the fact that the political veteran is even contemplating the idea may be surprising.  After all, Manchin won re-election to another six year term in

Justice goes for the heart

Has West Virginia ever had a Governor like Jim Justice? Maybe back at an earlier time in statehood—we can’t say for sure—but certainly not in the modern era. If you watched and listened to Justice’s third state of the state address last night then you know what I mean. He can be many things—tough executive,

Washington’s wall

I talked with a relative the other night who is upset over the partial government shutdown. He is a private businessman, but his occupation requires him to deal frequently with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Sorry, they are not open, so this person has to change his business plan significantly.  He hopes the shutdown will

Privatization may solve the problems at state hospitals

A study by a West Virginia think tank points out a series of problems with the seven state hospitals* and offers a practical solution. The report by the Public Policy Foundation finds that facilities, although they have different missions, suffer from similar challenges of underfunding, critical staff shortages and high turnover and underutilization because of

WVU does its due diligence in coaching search

When then-WVU Athletics Director Oliver Luck hired Dana Holgorsen in 2010 it was a haphazard affair.  Luck identified the Oklahoma State assistant as an offensive guru and “one of the top coaches in college football.” Whether Luck ever conducted his due diligence is anyone’s guess, since his approach to management was to shoot first and

Maryland politicians block pipeline into West Virginia

The Maryland Board of Public Works has voted 3-0 to reject plans for construction of a natural gas pipeline that would supply energy to West Virginia’s eastern panhandle.  Specifically, the Board refused to grant Columbia Gas Transmission right-of-way easement for an eight inch, 3.4 mile pipeline running through the state’s western panhandle connecting pipelines in

Maybe, just maybe, we’ll find out how many vehicles are in the state fleet

The 2019 legislative session starts next week, and at some point during the two-month long session Delegate Gary Howell (R-Mineral) expects he will be able to stand up on the floor and announce how many vehicles the state owns and operates. Normally, such a detail would be mundane. However, the state has been unable to

Looking ahead to 2019

(Editor’s note: This is an updated reprint of a commentary I have posted the last few years at New Year’s.) I’m not much on making New Year’s resolutions.  The history of failure to keep them weighs heavily and who needs more of that? Still, the idea of a fresh start appeals to me.  There is

The WVU-Holgorsen divorce

WVU coach Dana Holgorsen is apparently on his way to Houston to take over as head coach of the Cougars.  You know what we often say when we hear that a troubled marriage ends in divorce: “I can’t believe they stayed together as long as they did.” Holgorsen has just completed his eighth season in

Top WV stories of 2018 (part two)

With the help of Jeff Jenkins, Chris Lawrence and Brad McElhinny, here is part two of my list of the top 12 West Virginia news stories of 2018. 6. Controversy at Commerce, Rise program: When Governor Jim Justice took office, one of his most notable hires was successful businessman Woody Thrasher as state Commerce Secretary.

Top WV stories of 2018 (part one)

It’s time for a year-end list of the top West Virginia news stories of 2018.  With input from Jeff Jenkins, Chris Lawrence and Brad McElhinny, here are my top 12 stories. 12. Voters pass Amendment One. West Virginia was one of just 17 states that used taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions for poor women

The changing American landscape

America is changing.  It is impossible to characterize the change as simply good or bad because there is a lot of it going on and whether a shift is positive or negative may depend on one’s perspective.   However, it is evident that by historic standards we are undergoing rapid evolutions in technology and culture. Pew

Fentanyl moves to the top in drug overdose deaths

Fentanyl is now the most deadly drug in America. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services national Vital Statistics System released figures earlier this month showing that the synthetic opioid, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin, is responsible for more overdose deaths than any other drug. According to the report, oxycodone ranked

The Christmas when the fighting stopped

(Editor’s note:  This is a reprint of a commentary I post every Christmas.  HK) Has there ever been a Christmas when there was no war, no fighting in any corner of our planet?   It’s difficult to imagine since the world’s history has been a series of conquests and defenses. But there was once a Christmas

Our people are leaving

West Virginia’s depressing drip, drip, drip population decline continues.  New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show that West Virginia’s population dropped by 11,216 people from July 1, 2017, to July 1, 2018. The state’s population peaked in 1950 at two-million, but has been gradually and steadily declining ever since.  Census figures show a drop

New chairs of education committees will have their hands full

When the 2019 legislative session begins next month we should watch even more closely than usual what happens on the education front, particularly with two new committee chairs.  Senator Patricia Rucker (R-Jefferson) will head the Senate Education Committee while Delegate Danny Hamrick (R-Harrison) will be in charge of the House Education Committee. Hamrick is entering

Earmarks may be returning to Congress, and that might just help

The late Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia was often criticized as the “King of Pork” for directing federal dollars to his home state. In his autobiography Robert C. Byrd: Child of the Appalachian Coalfields he wrote, “The Washington critics of ‘pork’ had a full-time job trying to keep up with me.” Byrd went

A fresh face in the Governor’s race

Stephen Smith is young (38), smart, passionate, telegenic and bursting with ideas, and he might be the next governor of West Virginia. I emphasize “might” because the odds are stacked against the Democrat from Kanawha County, who for the last six years has served as director of the West Virginia Healthy Kids and Families Coalition.