The Wheeling Alternative
It’s back!
The WV House considers legislation to arm WV teachers and school personnel
As reported by Ryan Quinn in today’s Charleston Gazette-Mail, the WV House Education Committee advanced a bill for school districts to allow school personnel to be armed:
The West Virginia House Education Committee has again advanced a bill that would let teachers and principals bring concealed guns into public schools, if their . . .
Yesterday's Ogden paper told us “what a great thing it is for West Virginia that Republicans won big”
Here are some different points of view
From Phil Kabler, the Charleston Gazette-Mail’s political reporter, on the ramifications of that “big” Republican win:
In his one election debate, Gov. Jim Justice said he would sign the Fairness Act, extending state anti-discrimination protections to the LBGTQ community, if it reached his desk.
No chance that happens now, . . .
Is it unfair to say that the fossil fuel industry runs this state?
Your West Virginia legislature at work (or in the case of fracking, not at work)
Coal
From WV Metro News earlier this evening:
Senate Finance passes 3-year steam coal tax cut
Senator Doug Facemire (D – Braxton) stated the obvious:
“Are we helping the miners and the counties, or are we just going to stick this money the coal companies’ pockets?” Facemire asked.
The . . .
Can an entire state suffer from battered spouse syndrome?
“Now for the first time in our history we’re going to help the people who brought us to the dance” -- Delegate Vernon Crisp (R – Wood) explaining the WV House of Delegates voting to reduce the severance tax on thermal coal
Today’s Wheeling “newspapers” featured a front-page story that the WV House of Delegates voted to reduce the taxes on steam coal. Delegate Crisp’s comment comes at the end of the story. Is Crisp familiar with West Virginia’s past, or for that matter, present? It’s difficult to study the state’s history and not see that those “who brought us . . .
From WV MetroNews: “W.Va. State Building & Construction Trades Council to offer drug tests to legislators”
An idea whose time has come!
From WV MetroNews:
Representatives from the West Virginia Affiliated Construction Trades (ACT) Foundation plan to set up at the state capitol Wednesday. They are offering free drug testing to any West Virginia lawmaker who wants to take part.
“It’s a full test. We have a third-party professional who’s doing it,” . . .
Posted in: west virginia legislaturewv drug problems
Same as it ever was
West Virginia politics, that is
Justice appoints Justice lobbyist for vacant state senate seat
West Virginia State Senator Richard Ojeda resigned earlier this week to run for President. Yesterday, Governor Justice appointed his replacement. According to the Logan Banner's Dylan Vidovich via the Charleston Gazette-Mail:
Gov. Jim Justice, shortly . . .
Posted in: jim justicewest virginia legislature
“School Could Be Out Indefinitely”
With pictures of Ryan Ferns and Robin Capehart
The accompanying pictures explain a lot
This morning’s top-of-the-front-page story in the Wheeling News-Register is, of course, the West Virginia teachers strike which looks like it may continue. Under the headline are two pictures which probably say more to answer the “why” of the school strike than the 700 words that follow.
. . .