West Virginia
Confessions of a former legislature fanboy – WV MetroNews
Back in January, I wrote a commentary in praise of the West Virginia Legislature. Here is what I said: “Let me confess now that I am a fan” of the Legislature. I went on to write about the importance of real people—not professional politicians—collectively making decisions they believe are in the best interests of their constituents and the state.
The regular session wrapped up at midnight last night and, looking back, I’m seriously questioning that fanboy stance. Here is why:
The legislature is in session too long, especially when there is a vacuum of substantive issues. That vacuum invites extended debate and arguments over bills that have questionable value.
This year’s void was filled with many culture war bills. One that stands out was the legislation that would hold librarians, museum curators and volunteers at those establishments criminally liable if they allowed minors to be exposed to material considered obscene.
No one logically supports giving obscene books to children, but I’m not aware of any instances where your local librarian is pushing porn on 9-year-olds. Thankfully, that bill failed to pass.
Another bill started as an avenue for science teachers to include intelligent design as a “theory” of creation. It was eventually watered down to say that teachers can answer any sort of student question about how the earth was formed, which I suspect they do anyway. That bill passed on the last day.
There was a lot of debate about the travel team bill. It would have allowed school student athletes to participate in travel team sports simultaneously. It failed, but for the life of me I cannot understand why West Virginia would need a law about such things.
I could go on.
According to the West Virginia Legislature website, lawmakers introduced 2,575 bills and 254 resolutions. Granted, most are never considered, but many are. That is a lot for a small state. Republicans have super majorities in both chambers. Once upon a time the GOP was for smaller government, but two months of lawmaking with hundreds of bills feels like too much government.
Then there is the last-minute horse trading. The House wanted a pay raise for teachers and public employees, but the Senate hesitated. The Senate wanted to change how the state’s unemployment program works, but the House was cautious. So on the last night, one was traded for the other and they both passed.
That’s good for teachers, staff and state workers who are low paid and facing higher health insurance costs, but it is unclear what the impact of the unemployment bill will be. That emerged from the Senate late and, according to Delegate Evan Worrell (R, Cabell), the bill had five iterations in the closing days of the session. Did lawmakers really understand the full impact of the bill that will affect thousands of laid off workers and tens of thousands of businesses?
I distinctly remember House Speaker Roger Hanshaw saying on Talkline the first day of the session that he wanted to pass legislation expanding childcare options in the state and make it more affordable. He said businesses that are coming here or are already here and growing want affordable and available childcare for their workforce. That would have been a practical next step for state government to encourage economic growth, but nothing passed.
I listened to the closing hours of the session Saturday night as the House debated the budget bill. Members rose to repeatedly try to clarify what was and what was not in the proposed spending plan. Lawmakers literally had about 90 minutes to try to understand a massively complicated document detailing nearly $5 billion in spending of public dollars.
Inquisitive legislators were told not to worry; lawmakers will probably come back in special session in May (after the primary election) and fix what needs fixing. What? Two months to get a budget and the plan is to come back later and sort it all out?
I don’t want to be overly critical of the legislature because in my time there over the past two months I have come to know many lawmakers who are good and decent people who are carrying out what they believe to be the reason they were sent to Charleston.
But something feels off to me. I sense an increasing level of disfunction that may be linked to one-party rule and the nationalization of our politics. Perhaps this session was a one-off, and the 2024 election will serve to re-calibrate our governing body.
This former fan will be waiting to see.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The following events happened on these dates in West Virginia history, compiled by the West Virginia Humanities Council from its online encyclopedia, e-WV.
April 19, 1896: Writer Melville Davisson Post was born in Harrison County. His best-known works are the Randolph Mason series, published in three volumes, and the more successful collection Uncle Abner: Master of Mysteries.
April 19, 1902: Author Jean Lee Latham was born in Buckhannon. She wrote a number of children’s books, including Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, which won the 1956 Newbery Award.
April 20, 1823: Gen. Jesse Lee Reno was born in Wheeling. He graduated from West Point in 1846 with another cadet from western Virginia, Thomas J. Jackson, later known as “Stonewall.” Reno was the highest-ranking officer from present West Virginia killed in the Civil War.
April 20, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that in 60 days, West Virginia would become a state. The occasion was marked 100 years later during the state’s Centennial celebration with a special ceremonial session of the West Virginia Legislature on April 20, 1963, in Wheeling.
April 20, 1909: Fiddler Melvin Wine was born near Burnsville in Braxton County. A favorite of old-time music enthusiasts nationally, he was chosen as a National Heritage Fellow in 1991 by the National Endowment for the Arts — the highest recognition given to a folk artist in the United States.
April 20, 1939: Poet Irene McKinney was born in Belington, Barbour County. Gov. Gaston Caperton appointed her state poet laureate in 1993, and she served in that capacity until her death in 2012.
April 21, 1908: Musician Phoeba Cottrell Parsons was born in Calhoun County. Parsons’ traditional clawhammer banjo style, unaccompanied ballad singing, riddles and storytelling have influenced countless younger musicians.
April 21, 1936: President Franklin Roosevelt established the Jefferson National Forest. The West Virginia portion of the forest includes about 19,000 acres in Monroe County.
April 22, 1908: Marshall “Little Sleepy” Glenn was born in Elkins. Glenn coached basketball at West Virginia University from 1934 to 1938 and football from 1937 to 1940. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
April 22, 1948: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and musician Larry Groce was born in Dallas, Texas. He is best known as the longtime host and artistic director of the Mountain Stage radio program.
April 22, 2003: Activist Judy Bonds, a Raleigh County native, received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her fight against mountaintop removal mining. Her efforts inspired thousands and turned a local West Virginia issue into a national cause.
April 23, 1857: Andrew S. Rowan was born in Gap Mills, Monroe County. Rowan, a military officer, was chosen as the messenger when President William McKinley wanted to send a message to Cuban Gen. Calixto Garcia during the Spanish-American War. The 1899 pamphlet A Message to Garcia made the incident famous.
April 24, 1865: McNeill’s Rangers surrendered to Union troops at New Creek — now Keyser. The Confederate guerrilla force probably never numbered more than 100 men at any time but managed to inflict regular damage on Union operations.
April 25, 1863: In what became known as the Jones-Imboden Raid, about 1,500 Confederate soldiers under Gen. William “Grumble” Jones advanced through Greenland Gap, a deep pass through New Creek Mountain in present Grant County. The Confederates encountered 87 Union soldiers who held off several assaults before finally surrendering.
April 25, 1923: Union leader Arnold Ray Miller was born at Leewood on Cabin Creek in Kanawha County. In December 1972, he defeated Tony Boyle to become president of the United Mine Workers and served until 1979.
e-WV is a project of the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact the council at 1310 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301, call 304-346-8500 or visit wvencyclopedia.org.
During the Gold-Blue spring game on Saturday, the West Virginia coaching staff named wide receiver Cyrus Traught the recipient of the 2026 Tommy Nikolich Award.
The award, which is always given out at the end of spring ball, recognizes a walk-on team member who has distinguished himself through his attitude and work ethic. The award is presented in memory of Tommy Nickolich, a former WVU player (1980-82) who passed away from cancer in 1983.
Traugh is a Parkersburg native and graduate of Parkersburg South High School. He began his career at Youngstown State before transferring back home to play for the Mountaineers last season. In his final year with the Penguins, he logged 36 receptions, 409 yards, and a team-leading five touchdowns, two of which came against Pitt.
During the 2025 campaign with the Mountaineers, he saw action against Robert Morris and Kansas, playing 10 snaps against the Jayhawks, but did not record any stats.
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has mentioned him twice this spring as someone who has been doing some good things and making progress. Wide receivers coach Ryan Garrett also showed him some love during his press conference last week.
The Mountaineers completely revamped the wide receiver room this offseason, upping the level of talent at both inside and outside receiver spots, but perhaps Traugh can work his way into the mix if he puts together a strong summer and fall camp. If he’s not a regular in the rotation, he’ll serve as a quality depth piece who can play special teams.
Past Nickolich Award winners:
2025: Clay Ash, RB
2024: Avery Wilcox, S
2023: C.J. Cole, WR
2022: Nick Malone, OL
2021: Graeson Malashevich, WR/H
2020: Osman Kamara, S
2019: Jake Abbott, LB
2018: Evan Staley, K
2017: Nick Meadows, LS
2016: Jon Lewis, DL
2015: Justin Arndt, LB
2014: Michael Calicchio, OL
2013: Connor Arlia, WR
2012: Tyler Anderson, DE
2011: Ryan Nehlen, WR
2010: Matt Lindamood, FB
2009: Josh Taylor, DL
2008: Adam Hughes, LS
2007: Andy Emery, LB
2006: Tim Lindsey, LS
2005: George Shehl, H/DB
2004: Jeff Noechel, LB
2003: John Pennington, WR
2002: Moe Fofana, RB
2001: Jeremy Knapp, TE
2000: Ben Collins, LB
1999: Bryan Lorenz, LB
1998: Mark Corman, TE
1997: David Lightcap, DB
1996: Matt Ceresa, OL
1995: Rob Keys, DB
1994: Randy Fulmore, DB
1993: Matt McCulty, WR
1992: Brett Parise, WR, Ray Wilcox, LB
1991: Keith Taparausky, RB
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