…….One of my favorite movies from the 1970’s had a TV Anchor who ended the newscast with “Stay classy, San Diego!” The 1st District was anything but classy at the press conference for the announcement of the new plant Cleveland-Cliffs is locating in the old Half Moon area, putting 600 Cliffs employees back to work. The purpose of the press conference was clear and the program Cliffs sent out was concise: the President of Cliffs announces the venture thanks the Governor and Office of Economic Development for their swift work in making $50 million available for the project. The Union Representative echos thanks to all and the Governor thanks Cliffs for their efforts and speaks of the hope for the future of the area. It was a win-win. Or it would have been had it not been marred by the last speaker, the 1st District Delegate, who went on a long tangent about his conservative platform and talked about gay rights and transgender issues. I cringed when I watched the tape of his speech that has been circulated now on Facebook. As a former 1st District Delegate, I was appalled that what should have been a moment of celebration and gratitude to those who worked so diligently on this important project…. ended with one delegate using it as a forum for his personal agenda.
………The City of New Cumberland won the bid and secured the former Blackwell house on Ridge Avenue for $500.00 in back taxes Thursday. The white house is adjacent to Pride Park on Ridge Avenue and Mayor Will White said he will ask Council for funds to tear the house down to make way for parking in the area.
……..Work continues on the former Wicke’s building downtown. A new roof has been put on the building and the town is still hoping for a restaurant to be located there. Word has it that the former Ice Dogs is opening up this week for coffee and breakfast.
……..The Hope Scholarship was created by the Legislature to direct the funds that go towards a student’s public education to a parochial, charter or private school if that is the parent’s choice. WEST VIRGINIA WATCH wrote an article about the Treasurer’s Office awarding the contract to administer those funds to a company with little experience with such programs. I spoke with Asst. Treasurer Jared Hunt who tells me that the $4,900.00 that will go towards a student opting out of public education will be loaded onto a “digital wallet” and a request for an expenditure will be checked against it’s eligibility. He feels the portal will improve transparency with the pre-approved parameters of the program.
…….The issue of using public funds for parochial education is one I could never vote for because I feel it violates the separation of church and state mandated by the constitution. If the State is paying for a full school day of instruction and that instruction includes one hour of religious education then it violates that mandate. That’s why I could never support the Legislation which was introduced in some form or the other back in the 1990’s.
