This category is used to mark member submissions pertaining to some local, state, or national note-worthy events. These can include reprints of letters to the editor or op-eds in various press outlets.

West Virginia’s Data Center Day of Infamy

The nation's most lenient state law governing data center development was born April 1st, 2025. Jeff Hertrick refers to this as West Virginia's Day of Infamy. He unravels how Eastern Panhandle Republicans led the way.

Republicans Want to Disown the Data Center Monster They Created

There's non-partisan politics and there's partisan politics. How do you decide whether legislation results from one or the other? Troy Miller levels an argument at Republicans, who want to claim that data centers should be a non-partisan issue, because nobody here wants them. But there's the reality that it is exactly Republican legislators who are roughly 100% responsible for why data centers are a looming reality.

Delegate Bill Ridenour is Untethered to Reality

Jenny Thacker (D) and William Ridenour (R), opponents for the WV Delegate seat for District 100, held a debate on August 10. Each candidate stated their opinions on issues critical to Jefferson County. Ridenour, as the incumbent, had to defend many of his bad legislative decisions from reasonable questions directed at him by the audience and by Jenny. Neal Barkus in reporting the facts of the debate points out Ridenour's ignorance of facts as well as his slurs on our neighboring states.