Recent editorials from West Virginia newspapers:
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March 3
The Intelligencer on COVID-19 vaccine myths:
Dr. Clay Marsh has been part of the effort that led West Virginia to be a leader in trying to fight the spread of COVID-19 and in distributing the vaccine that might help us one day turn the corner in that fight.
Mountain State residents have come to trust him as he talks us through the horrific plague we are enduring.
It is to be hoped, then, that they will listen to him now, as he asks those who are eligible to get the vaccine.
Conspiracy theories and intentional misinformation are crippling that effort as medical workers who should know better are giving in to the fear that the vaccine is somehow unsafe or untrustworthy.
Marsh, who is known as the state’s “Coronavirus Czar,” said he believes that because children under age 16 are not being vaccinated right now, it is unlikely we will reach herd immunity against the virus. That makes it even more important for those working in hospitals and long-term care facilities to get the shot that has been made available to them.
“People are scared of the vaccine,” Marsh said. “(They think) it came too fast. There was some false advertising that it could cause sterility in women, so a lot of women were hesitant to take it. And there’s no grounding to that. And a lot of people thought it could give you the virus and it can’t do that. I think there is a level of mistrust.”
Though Marsh said he believes those misconceptions are changing, they are not changing quickly enough.
If you are eligible, get registered, get in line, get your shot (and then your second shot, unless you get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine), and do your part to keep yourself and the people around you safe.
Again, particularly for those in the medical and long-term care professions, there is simply no logical excuse to delay any longer.
Online: https://www.theintelligencer.net/
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Feb. 25
The Herald-Dispatch on improving West Virginia’s electric grid:
An ice storm in early 2003 knocked out electricity service to thousands of West Virginians. The derecho in June 2012 did the same. So did the back-to-back ice storms this month.
Do the math and it appears people in this part of West Virginia should expect another large-scale weather-related outage in 2030 - nine years from now.
The task for Appalachian Power now is to restore service as quickly as possible. Some people have been without power for two weeks now, since the first ice storm on Feb. 11. Life for them is a series of refilling the fuel tanks of generators or kerosene heaters, of being on a first-name basis with the people at fast food drive-up windows and of seeing their sleep routines change. People with health conditions that require equipment that depend on electricity face critical problems when the power goes out for days.
Add to that the fact that when power lines fall, so do telephone lines and cable TV lines that provide land-based internet service. Isolation takes over from normal social contacts, and people who rely on the internet for home-based businesses are cut off from their customers or employers.
These three events of the past 18 years exposed the fragility of the power grid in this region. The politics of climate change and of coal vs. renewables have dominated talk about our electric grid. That’s fine from the supply end of the chain, but the delivery end also needs to be addressed. Surely the Public Service Commission of West Virginia will ask Appalachian Power how the grid came to be so vulnerable to weather events and what can be done to strengthen it. The PSC should also ask the power company what can be done to improve communication between the power companies and their customers.
As noted by HD Media’s Sarah Ingram, people throughout Appalachian Power’s service area have reported being falsely notified via text message that their power had been restored when it hadn’t. In a statement Tuesday, Appalachian Power parent company American Electric Power said people receive messages when the main outage affecting their area has been restored. If there are problems between the source of the main outage and the person’s home, the customer will receive the message even if their power is still out. It’s up to the customer to notify the power company about the problem.
That’s a communication problem that can be solved, and probably will. Hardening the grid is more complicated and requires a long-term solution.
However, the public might not like the answers. We still need a starting point for discussion, and when the present problem is behind us, it will be time to talk.
Online: https://www.herald-dispatch.com/
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Feb. 25
The Bluefield Daily Telegraph on supporting music venues during the pandemic:
One of the many things we missed out on in 2020 was live musical shows and other theatrical performances. With active virus cases now decreasing locally, area event organizers are hoping to see a resumption of such events later this year.
For example, at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, officials are hoping to host a live musical performance on May 8. It’s all tentative, but the plan right now is to hold the “The Ultimate Prince Experience” on that date. The show, a review of the late artist’s music, was originally planned for last year, but had to be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions. It it now scheduled for May 8, assuming that the pandemic eases by then and virus restrictions regulating crowd sizes are lifted.
The good news is that virus restrictions are slowly being relaxed in both West Virginia and Virginia, although mask mandates and social distancing rules are still in place.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice relaxed a number of virus restriction last week, and announced that live music performances, except for those incorporating vocals or using wind instruments, may now take place indoors, so long as the event is held in accordance with all applicable safety guidelines.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that a number of virus restrictions in the Commonwealth would be eased beginning March 1, including increasing the maximum number of individuals permitted in a social gathering from 10 to 25 for outdoor settings while remaining at 10 persons for indoor settings. Northam also said outdoor entertainment and public amusement venues will be able to operate with up to 1,000 individuals or at 30 percent capacity, whichever is lower.
Candace Wilson, executive director of the Chuck Mathena Center, said the CMC has been struggling since the onset of the pandemic, with most shows having to be delayed due to pandemic restrictions.
Revenue in 2020 was down about 80 percent from the year before, according to Wilson. She is hoping that the new federal stimulus package lawmakers are still working on will have enough money for the state to help. Wilson said donations continue to be sought as well as money for memberships, which cost from $25 to $2,000, depending on the level. The facility also remains open for rentals.
The Bluefield Arts Center’s performance theater has also been forced to cancel shows.
Julie Hurley, with the center’s theater, told the Daily Telegraph last month that several events are still on hold.
Jamie Null, executive director of the Mercer County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is hoping that additional funding for local entities will be included in the next round of federal funding.
Now that virus restrictions are slowly being eased, we hope to see additional concerts, theatrical performances and related shows in the near future.
It is still important to support our local venues for the performing arts.
Wouldn’t it be nice, after all, to see a live show at the Chuck Mathena Center this May?
Online: https://www.bdtonline.com/
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This version has been corrected to show the second editorial was from The Herald-Dispatch, not the Register-Herald.
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