Incoming Senate President Randy Smith told a TV news station this week that he plans to address “social issues” right away in the 2025 session.
“I would like to get anything like that out of the road so we can concentrate on economic development, creating jobs…” Smith told the station.
I couldn’t help but find his comments naive. Quaint, even.
“Social issues” are one of the right’s dog whistles for legislatively bullying everyone from trans kids to librarians. If Smith thinks he will ever be able to get them out of the way to focus on substantive issues, he’d better think again.
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I hate to break it to the Senate president-elect, but once you start trying to appease the anti-liberty movement, they won’t let you stop. You’ll never reach a point where their agenda is “out of the road.” Once they’ve clawed back rights from one group, they’re immediately on to the next.
Ban trans kids from playing sports? Up next is policing cisgender girls’ femininity.
Ban gender affirming care for kids? Up next is restricting health care for trans adults.
Ban abortion? Up next is electronically tracking people’s menstrual cycles.
Ban same-sex marriage? Up next is eliminating no-fault divorce for everyone.
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This is the defining feature of a movement that lacks real-world solutions for our real-world problems.
West Virginia is 48th in education. We have the third highest health insurance premiums in the country despite also being one of the poorest states. Tens of thousands lack access to clean water. Our twin crises of addiction and foster care continue to spiral out of control. Our jails are overcrowded and among the deadliest in the nation.
But rather than find solutions to these complex problems, it’s much easier to demonize our fellow citizens and pit neighbor against neighbor. Somewhere out there, there is always going to be someone who simply has too much freedom.
But Smith should also be aware that we are every bit as relentless as our opponents.
While they never stop searching for a group to oppress, we never stop looking for ways to expand the sacred promise encoded in the Bill of Rights.
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Where the other side looks at the world and sees an excess of liberty, we will use every tool at our disposal to get the government out of people’s lives and personal decisions.
We and our allies have been on the front lines of this fight for more than 100 years and we aren’t going anywhere.
And we’ll be ready for the Senate president on day one.
The West Virginia Mountaineers (10-3) welcome the Maryland Terrapins (10-5) to Kendrick Family Ballpark Tuesday afternoon the first encounter between the two programs since 2023 and the first meeting in Morgantown since 2018. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.
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The Mountaineers captured their fourth consecutive series of the season after taking two of the three games from Columbia over the weekend. West Virginia sophomore Matt Ineich and senior Brodie Kresser both blasted grand slams during the series. Ineich lifted WVU in game two with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th in game two, and Kresser ignited a 16-1 rout, capping a six-run second inning in the series finale.
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Gavin Kelly leads West Virginia at the plate with a .436 batting average with a Big 12 leading nine doubles. Ineich and senior Paul Schoenfeld has raked in a team-leading 16 RBI apiece, while senior Matthew Graveline has clubbed a team-high three home runs.
On the mound, West Virginia is expected to start sophomore David Hagen. The right-hander has made four appearances on the season, including one start. He last started in the home-opener against Ohio where he pitched two scoreless innings and recorded a strikeout to collect his first win of the season. He holds a 1.00 ERA with five strikeouts on the season.
After starting 3-4, Maryland is 7-1 in its last eight games. The Terrapins won two of three at UNC Wilmington in the season opening series, followed by a midweek win against Georgetown before getting swept at Louisiana. The Terps bounced back with a pair of midweek wins versus Delaware and swept a one-win Wagner team.
Junior Brayden Martin is batting a team-best .443 to go with four doubles and 12 RBI. Redshirt freshman Ryan Costello leads the Terps in home runs (9) and RBI (21) and is third in batting average at .328, while freshman Ty Kaunus has a team-high seven doubles and has .269 batting average.
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Maryland is scheduled to start freshman Nic Morlang. The right-hander has four appearances on the season, including four starts. He allowed five earned runs in his appearances, coinciding with his two starts, in six innings of work. In his last two appearances in relief, He’s allowed one earned run on five hits.
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West Virginia leads the all-time series 8-5, including a five-game winning streak over Maryland.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to a series of parties in Morgantown over the weekend.
Morgantown police officers, West Virginia University Police and state police responded to reports of overcrowded parties, underage drinking, physical altercations and multiple injuries.
Morgantown Communications Director Brad Riffie said several citations were issued for open containers and underage consumption.
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Two large parties were dispersed and six arrests were made without incident.
None of the reported injuries are believed to be serious or life-threatening.
The Morgantown Fire Department assisted in the operations.
Hancock County, WV — A Weir High School senior has been recognized as the 2026 West Virginia Student Journalist of the Year.
Hailey Hans was selected for the statewide honor after building a journalism portfolio since her freshman year. She also serves as the staff manager of Weir Student Media, where she oversees articles and is in charge of deadlines.
“When I was a freshman I was placed in the journalism one class, and I actually tried to get pulled from the class. But, then after I sat in the class and I learned a little bit, that’s where my love grew and then from there I continued to take classes, I helped pass a law, and I got to these national conventions. Where it just lit a fire inside me,” Hans said.
Hans is planning to attend West Liberty University in the fall to study education with a minor in journalism, with the goal of becoming a journalism teacher. She will now submit her portfolio for the national-level contest.
