Community Posts - Blue Jefferson

Moving a Sofa – or a Nation

May 13, 2026

There is a long-running debate in America between those with a libertarian outlook, who believe it is every man for himself, and the rest of us. Neal Barkus cuts through the debate about individual versus collective rights at a moment’s notice by asking how important our objective really is. Is it moving a sofa or moving a nation? If our objective is hugely important – maybe existential – we know the answer. We have demonstrated time and again that the collective approach is the only way. After all, we are in this together.

What About Our Public Schools?

April 26, 2026

The HOPE Scholarship program in West Virginia was created to provide parents opposed to public education a financial crutch to either home school or to send their kids to private schools. Jim Bauman argues that the high price tag of HOPE is paid out at the expense of improving our public schools. He wonders is public education a priority of our Republican dominated government or is the destruction of public education a goal?

Our Homes Are Burning

March 30, 2026

A recent fire in Bolivar in a multi-unit home for elderly and disabled people has upturned their lives. The fire started in one unit and spread along the roof to others, making the building unlivable. Jenny Thacker considers the possibility that this building fire and many others predating building codes could have been caused by faulty construction. She wants legislators to focus more on fire prevention in our older homes, as well as to better support local fire fighting and rescue.

West Virginia and Liberty

March 12, 2026

John Doyle injects a bit of personal history in describing the actions of four United States district judges and our present Secretary of State. These individuals have separately acted to affirm the rights of immigrants and citizens to the full protection of the guarantees spelled out in the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.

West Virginia Legislature Denies Water Quantity Amendment to Data Center Rule

February 26, 2026

Lucia Valentine reports on how the legislature failed to provide a rule for prospective data centers to determine the potential impact on water availability of their facilities. Will there be any negative impact on the water availability for farmers and residential users?

Gun Bills in the Legislature

February 12, 2026

It's a fair question to ask how many guns, what kinds of guns, and how many guns in the hands of how many people are necessary to keep a community like ours in Jefferson County safe. Could there be too many guns or too many hands? Our Republican legislators think there are not enough of either and want to expand gun ownership universally to 18-20 year-olds and to permit ownership of automatic weapons. Emily Asaf argues the case, focusing on safety.

ICE Has Violated America

February 8, 2026

The heavy hand and violence of ICE agents in addressing immigrants contrasts with the more humane approach put in place during the Biden administration. Neal Barkus details how the Trump administration has taken a sledge hammer to all immigrants, even those who are here legally and who have always been law abiding and productive members of our communities. Our Constitution makes provisions for immigrants and children of immigrants born here. ICE is daily violating these provisions and it is betraying the promise of America as a compassionate land..

A Harsh Reality in A Rapidly Aging State

January 20, 2026

Keeping our youth in West Virginia is proving a more and more elusive goal. Our Republican dominated government seems to be putting its hope in data centers, though these will not produce resilient jobs . At the same time, it's cutting or weakening social programs that make living here affordable and attractive to young people. They leave and we're left with a declining population.

Land Ownership Rights Threatened by the Legislature

January 12, 2026

Traditional land ownership rights permit landowners to preserve land they own from any future development. You've likely seen signs around the county to that effect. But a 2024 Senate proposal would have weakened the ability of landowners to decide what not to do with their land and how long they could protect it from development. The proposed bill didn't make it into law, but the attempt to free up protected land for timbering and other industrial exploitation may be resurrected in 2026.

Community Well Being

Member Voices on Community Well Being