As Cabell County voters took to the polls Tuesday morning, they had various issues and races on their minds.
Maggi Anderson, of Barboursville, West Virginia, said reproductive rights were her primary issue.
“The most important issue for me is women’s rights,” Anderson said. “I feel as a woman of any age, this should be one of the most important things in this election today.”
For her, Anderson said, voting was a way to fight for women’s futures while honoring those who came before her.
Advertisement
“Fighting for not only our rights as women right now,” Anderson said. “But like I said, the women that are going to come after us and to honor the women that came before us.”
Gina Milum, the Democratic candidate for House District 27, of Huntington, said reproductive rights were also one of her top issues.
“First and foremost, I have been activated by reproductive rights,” Milum said. “Even though my reproductive years are long in my rearview mirror, I have two daughters and six granddaughters. It’s an important thing to me.”
Debra La Pierre Sospe, of Milton, said her top issues included the economy, cost of living and homelessness.
She also said she wanted to “bring the Lord back in our country, starting with our schools and the home.”
Advertisement
She said her motivation mainly stemmed from a sense of duty.
“I’ve voted since I was 18,” La Pierre Sospe said. “It’s always been my life.”
Anderson said her son was her primary motivation to cast her ballot.
“I feel like voting you have to do it for not only the people who are here right now,” Anderson said. “But for the children and the future of our country.”
She said to her, the presidential race was most important, followed by the local elections.
Advertisement
“First and most importantly, the presidential,” Anderson said. “The local elections are all fairly important to me.”
Milum said she wished the presidential election was closer in West Virginia.
“Of course, everybody’s biting their nails over the presidential race. I wish I felt things were closer in West Virginia,” Milum said.
Milum said she focused more on down ballot races than the presidential election.
“A lot of the down ballot races, especially the state senate, especially the House of Representatives, are very important for me to watch because people don’t realize how much either harm or good that people in those positions can do,” Milum said.
Advertisement
La Pierre Sospe said she looked for “truth, honesty, and love for the Lord and our country” when deciding who to vote for.
As for the Cabell County school levy, Anderson said it was not at the front of her mind.
“I don’t know much about it,” Anderson said. “It’s not one of the issues I have dove into deeply today.”
Milum lives in the portion of Huntington located in Wayne County, and cannot vote for the levy. She said she would have certainly voted yes if she was able to.
“I was 100% vote no in May,” Milum said. “Now I am 100% vote yes in November.”
Advertisement
Milum said she believed the pre-primary movement to strike down the levy was successful in its messaging.
“The message was sent to the past superintendent,” Milum said. “He heard, he left, we now have new board members, we have a new superintendent, the libraries have their money, the parks have their money, and the schools have better leadership.”
Join the Main Street Morgantown family-friendly holiday shopping event from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 13) in Downtown Morgantown.
The event will feature a district-wide scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes and the opportunity to explore holiday pop-up markets by Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op and Apothecary Ale House.
While exploring downtown shops, participants who spot DASH the Dog can collect stamps. Each stamp brings participants closer to the chance of winning prizes from downtown merchants such as gift cards and goods. To qualify for prizes, completed Downtown Dash Guides with five or more stamps must be turned into Hoot and Howl, The Co-Op, Apothecary Ale House or at Breezeline’s play-to-win tent on Courthouse Square.
Advertisement
As a break from shopping, parents and their little ones can visit Kids Craft, Cookies & Cocoa Central at the WARD Building to enjoy a complimentary hot cocoa and cookie bar and children’s crafts provided by Hotel Morgan sponsored by Main Street Morgantown and Breezeline.
Visitors can also visit the beautiful 25-foot-tall holiday tree on display at Courthouse Square, a collaboration between the City of Morgantown, Monongalia County and Main Street Morgantown.
Sponsored by Breezeline, the Downtown Dash celebrates the holiday season, promotes walking and shopping throughout the downtown district, and supports local businesses by driving foot traffic directly to storefronts.
WHEELING, W.Va. — The West Virginia First Foundation visited the Wheeling Police Department to commend its efforts in addressing the area’s mental health and opioid crisis.
Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger presented to the WVFF board, highlighting the department’s progress.
Schwertfeger attributed a 14% decrease in Group A crimes from 2024 to 2025 to the department’s crisis intervention program.
“Just another great partnership,” he said. “More collaboration in this area that we are very proud of and we want to keep the momentum going,.”
Advertisement
WVFF Executive Director Jonathan Board praised the program’s success.
“This in particular, the CIT program, that isn’t just in the ether, but is showing success – actual scientific success about de-escalation, about bringing together services providers and to boots on the ground and first responders, this is vitally important to not only this region but the entire state,” Board said.
The visit was part of WVFF’s ‘Hold the Line’ tour across the state.
