Charleston Gazette-Mail. June 13, 2024.
Editorial: Mourning the loss of ‘The Logo’
Perhaps there is no West Virginian more renowned or more influential in the sporting world than Jerry West, who died Wednesday at age 86.
West, a native of Chelyan, had more than a few nicknames, including “Mr. Clutch,” from his days as a player for the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association and “The Logo” because its West’s (unofficial) leaning silhouette between blocks of blue and red that makes up the NBA’s official crest.
As impressive as his playing days were, West was also one of the most successful front office operators in the history of the game. It was West who put together the roster — comprised of players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Magic Johnson — that would define the “Showtime” era of Lakers basketball in the 1980s, when the team was a dominant force. West would engineer another dynastic run for the team in the late 1990s and early 2000s, by drafting Kobe Bryant and prying Shaquille O’Neal away from the Orlando Magic.
In West’s time as general manager for the Lakers, the team won six NBA titles. He also received two championship rings for his role as an executive with the Golden State Warriors during their 2015 and 2017 title runs.
West, who played college ball for West Virginia University, has been enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice as a player and will be honored again this year for his contributions to the game. He was working as a consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers at the time of his death.
There are likely millions of people who know of West’s reverential legacy but have no clue that he hailed from a small town in the Mountain State about 20 minutes away from Charleston. But West never forgot where he came from.
He spoke often about how his rural, low-income upbringing shaped him. West once said he didn’t have much as a kid, but did have a beautiful view of the Appalachian Mountains, which inspired him to dream about metaphorically reaching the top of the mountain in his profession. He spoke of pouring his heart and soul into basketball when he was young as a way to cope with an abusive father. West often told stories about practicing on makeshift hoops in his hometown, including one without a net that a neighbor had nailed to a shed, and another that was created by affixing a loop of wire to the side of a bridge.
West was a beloved figure in his home state, serving as perhaps the best example of the age-old Appalachian hero’s tale: someone who came from nothing and rose to astounding heights while never losing perspective and nearly always coming off as insightful and kind.
There will never be another Jerry West, and his death is being mourned in the Mountain State.
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Parkersburg News and Sentinel. June 19, 2024.
Editorial: Patriotism: West Virginia needs to do some soul searching
West Virginians have always prided themselves on being patriotic citizens who answer our country’s call. And for generations, that was true. Now, according to WalletHub’s “Most Patriotic States in America (2024),” our status on that front has plummeted.
Just ahead of West Virginia Day, we learn the state is 41st in the report’s overall rankings. Even in the most obvious category — one in which the Mountain State has performed admirably for decades — we are faltering. Military engagement here is a surprising 32nd in the country.
The figure takes into account average military enlistees between 2015 and 2020, veterans, active-duty military personnel and share of civilian adult population in military reserves.
What a disappointment for those who have always believed West Virginians put their words into action for our country.
But it gets worse. In terms of civic engagement, West Virginia is 39th. That one looked at voter participation in the 2020 primary and presidential elections; volunteer rate and number of hours; AmeriCorps volunteers; Peace Corps volunteers; trial- and grand-jury participation; share of residents who participated in ANY group, organization or association in the past year, and U.S. history/civics education requirements. The Mountain State is tied for last when it comes to Peace Corps volunteerism. We were 49th for the percentage of adults who voted in the 2020 presidential election about which so many were so vocal on social media.
In fact, a loud group of West Virginians does plenty of squawking about our love for this country (and our belief that those in other states love it less or are enemies of it). But our actions don’t back that up. On the other hand, the residents of Virginia, Alaska, Montana, Maine and Oregon (the top five) have us beat.
“I would say a patriot is one who supports and defends the best values of their country while working to correct any faults the country might have,” said James P. Davenport, associate dean for social sciences and a professor at Rose State College. “Patriotism is not merely ‘blind loyalty.’ Like a good parent, friend, or mentor, a patriotic citizen will always be willing to offer correction to their government when it has strayed from its core values. In the U.S., these values include individual liberty, equality before the law, and respect for the inherent dignity of all people. A good patriot will act in ways that are consistent with, and which reinforce these values.”
Are we doing that, in West Virginia? Some are, perhaps; but generally speaking, the numbers say “no.”
We’re better than that. Or we used to be. Perhaps it’s time for a little soul searching as we look for ways to return to that better version of ourselves that is disappearing in the rear-view mirror.
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The Intelligencer. June 19, 2024.
Editorial: State’s First Job Is To Protect Children
Surely Brian Abraham, Gov. Jim Justice’s chief of staff, saw a recent press conference going better than it did. In moderating the in-person press briefing, his aim was purportedly clearing up questions about how Kyneddi Miller’s case was handled leading up to her death at age 14 in Boone County.
What followed was a standout example of bureaucracy over common sense, coupled with appalling disorganization and poor communication.
West Virginians got to listen to the governor’s chief of staff call the actions of an on-the-ground local Child Protective Services worker “stupid,” while blame was heaped “at the county level” for poor communication and disorganized decision-making that led to a failed attempt to halt the press conference.
Meanwhile, we learned a since-retired state trooper went with his gut in 2023 and deemed his suspicions about what was happening to Miller important enough to travel to the regional CPS office and speak with a CPS worker in person. Abraham said the investigation determined that in doing so, the trooper did not follow protocol. Apparently, the trooper should have called the Department of Human Services child abuse and neglect hotline.
In a twist worthy of Iran-Contra testimony, the CPS worker does not recall meeting with the trooper.
Doubling down on the choice to focus on “protocol,” rather than children and the humans who really are trying to help them, DoHS Cabinet Secretary Cynthia Persily talked about which calls to the hotline might be worthy of action.
“If the referral meets the criteria set out in law for abuse and neglect, there will be an investigation as we currently do,” she said.
One wonders whether it has occurred to her that an investigation might help determine if the case met the criteria. Solutions to prevent another death are hard to come by. Abraham and Persily want to focus on the hotline — 1-800-352-6531. Yes, of course, those who suspect child neglect or abuse, particularly mandated reporters, should use it.
Surely DoHS will forgive them if not all Is are dotted and Ts crossed when they do so. After all, a person whose gut is telling them a child is in danger is worried more about the safety of the child than about “protocol.”
And it is encouraging to note lawmakers are being asked to consider steps that would better protect children who are being homeschooled.
But until officials show they are more worried about doing all they can to prevent another such tragedy than just covering their backsides, it will be slow going. Mountain State residents can only hope change does not come so slowly that for another child, it is too late.
END