Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
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Feb. 25
The Parkersburg News & Sentinel on the legacy of history-making NASA scientist Katherine Johnson:
Though she lived an incredibly full 101 years, the death of Katherine Johnson came as a bit of a surprise - and some sadness. Giants like she was seem as though they will be with us forever.
And Johnson was, truly, a West Virginian and American giant. Despite all the challenges that came with being born a black female in Appalachia in 1918, she refused to be stopped. She was intelligent - particularly gifted in math and science - and had enough inner strength to know she was meant to do something with those gifts. What she did was become so important to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s missions that John Glenn refused to be launched into space until Johnson had double checked a computer’s calculations. He trusted her work completely.
Many Americans today know about Johnson because of the film “Hidden Figures,” but during her career with NASA, Johnson refused to stay hidden.
During an interview with a public television station, in 2011, she said, “I just happened to be working with guys and when they had briefings, I asked permission to go. And they said, ‘Well, the girls don’t usually go.’ and I said, ‘Well, is there a law?’ They said, ‘No.’ So then my boss said, ‘Let her go.’”
She persisted. She knew her worth and would not be brushed to the side. NASA eventually named its Computational Research Facility in honor of her.
In 2015, Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom - an honor she truly deserved.
“In her 33 years at NASA, Katherine was a pioneer who broke the barriers of race and gender, showing generations of young people that everyone can excel in math and science, and reach for the stars,” President Barack Obama said at the time.
Johnson is gone now, but the example she set - for all of us - MUST live on.
Online: https://www.newsandsentinel.com
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Feb. 24
The Martinsburg Journal on an anti-corruption bill facing the state Legislature:
Reports on corrupt public officials are a regular part of life in West Virginia. Why on earth would we want to give them any breaks?
We do, though.
One effective watchdog against corruption is the state Ethics Commission. It has substantial power to investigate complaints against public officials and employees, and some authority to punish those who stray from the straight and narrow.
But for the commission to take action, a complaint must be filed with it within one year of an alleged ethics violation. In other words, if you can beat the calendar, you may be able to get away with some infractions - though outright crime can be handled by prosecuting attorneys.
A bill introduced Feb. 11 in the West Virginia House of Delegates, HB 4915, would extend the ethics commission deadline to 10 years after infractions. Delegate Marshall Wilson, I-Berkeley, sponsored the measure.
Legislators should approve HB 4915. Crooked public officials and employees - or even those who knowingly cut ethics corners - should find no friend in the calendar.
Online: https://www.journal-news.net
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Feb. 24
The Charleston Gazette-Mail on steps to end greyhound racing in West Virginia:
A crucial step in ending greyhound racing in West Virginia is eliminating $15 million to $17 million the state annually gives out as a “subsidy” to the sport. Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, made a bill to do just that one of his major priorities during the current legislative session. It was resoundingly defeated, with several Senate Republicans crossing the aisle to reject the bill after some amendments made it more complicated.
The issue is likely to come up again (in the past, when Democrats controlled the Legislature, it was an amendment Senate Republicans would tack onto other bills, effectively killing them). Should major legislation to end the funding resurface, West Virginians on both sides of the issue need to know how it really works.
The term “subsidy” gets tossed around a lot, but it’s fair to question if that’s what the money really is. It’s not actually taxpayer money, as some try to define it. The money comes from the state collecting 2.5% of all video lottery revenue, which then goes to the Excess Lottery fund. From there, the money is distributed to greyhound breeders and owners based on race performances. Any money left over in the fund can be appropriated elsewhere by the state.
Basically, the state is taxing itself to support the dog racing industry. The individual playing video lottery games doesn’t have a say in where that money is going, but isn’t being taxed, either. If the fund were done away with, it’s not guaranteed the state would have $15 million to $17 million specifically set aside that it could spend elsewhere. But the state would be getting more money overall annually that it could use for other purposes.
Perhaps this doesn’t shift the balance of the argument much. The fight over dog racing at the visceral level still boils down to humane or moral concerns going up against fears of lost jobs and revenue. The sport obviously isn’t doing great, or there wouldn’t be a special fund. Still, those on both sides of the argument should be careful and honest in explaining the financial element when this issue inevitably returns.
Online: https://www.wvgazettemail.com
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