New year, new me? Yeah, yeah. We'll see.
The West Virginia Weakly Reader for Saturday, January 4, 2025
When I was a student at Marshall University, journalism professor Dr. Chris Swindell opened one early-in-the-semester lecture in his media theory course on how academics (and journalists, really) help us make sense of the world.
It’s through careful ethnographic observation and research, quantitative analysis — scientific rigor, he explained. It’s not at all thanks to superstition, coincidence, conjecture or heresy, Dr. Swindell made clear. He insisted that astrology and horoscopes aren’t a means to predict or explain life’s curveballs and triumphs. The whole discussion seemed somewhat out of right field in the moment. But his point was made and that lecture stuck with me.
That said, I’ve never been all that superstitious. At least I haven’t been since I played Little League baseball and flipped on the rally cap — or asked my mom not to wash my socks after a win or a good night at the plate.
Part of my skepticism — at least in adulthood — is based on Dr. Swindell’s argument in class that evening, no doubt.
I’m not going to get too personal here, but this past year had its fair share of ups and downs, twists and turns, calculated triumphs and life-altering disappointments — for me, anyway. Yet there was something about 2024 and the inevitable flipping of the calendar to 2025 that gave me a sense of hope. So, on New Year’s Eve, Dr. Swindell’s lecture popped back into my head and I tried fighting off any superstitious feelings.
Truly, I don’t know what it was that hit me this past Tuesday night. I realize no calendar year tends to be empirically better or worse than any other. If I were to chart out the good and bad luck in my life year-by-year, each set of 12 months would probably measure up roughly the same. And I couldn’t possibly believe that some theoretical, omnipotent arbiter of fortune would care at all about the turning of a new year while doling out the good (and bad).
For a host of reasons, it’s easy to feel like I am in the middle of a series of monumental transitions — and my life is already very different than it was for most of 2024.
Either way, I guess what I am trying to say is simple: If you arrived on 2025’s doorstep at all like I did, there is plenty to remind ourselves about.
Mainly, I just want to stay grateful for and thoughtful about the people I care about. I want to identify what matters to me and then choose words and actions that will take me where I want to be — and to take those around me onward and upward as well. And to realize, one way or another, any good or bad luck I’ve experienced is mostly of my own making.
It’s in my hands and I know that — just like the balance of your own luck belongs to you.
So even though I wish you way more than luck and all of the happiness in 2025 — just keep in mind the way things play out for any of us will have nothing to do with the sincerest of well-wishes, the alignment of the stars or all that much else. It also won’t have anything to do with the four numbers at the top of your calendar, either.
Thanks for letting us into your inboxes each week. We’ll keep doing our best and maybe that’ll trickle down to other parts our lives this year.
The West Virginia Weakly Reader — For more on the sources we use, have a look at the footnotes to see the original reporting from news outlets across West Virginia:
❄️ With a winter storm making its way through the region, Gov. Jim Justice has issued a state of preparedness for all 55 of West Virginia’s counties. The National Weather Service has placed much of central, northeast, northern and southeast West Virginia under winter storm warnings and advisories through midday today, with significant snowfall already taking place in some of the state’s more mountainous regions.1 Some regions — namely higher elevations in eastern parts of the state — are expected to see as much as a foot of snow.
🏛️ As Governor-elect Patrick Morrisey waits in the wings for his inauguration on January 13, he announced a large portion of his cabinet and administration this week. The three-term attorney general held a Thursday morning news conference in the library of his soon-to-be former office.2 “We have a great team,” Morrisey said. “They’re outstanding in every single way. They’re deeply experienced, they’re smart, and they put service before self. I’m just thrilled that these folks have agreed to be such an important part of the team going forward, because they know there are great challenges ahead for West Virginia.”
🏛️ With West Virginia’s legislative session still more than a month out, the GOP-led Senate leadership team is beginning to take shape. Senate President-elect Randy Smith (R-Preston) has named Sen. Mike Stuart (R-Kanawha) as chair of the Judiciary Committee and incoming Sen. Tom Willis (R-Berkeley) as vice chair.3 Stuart is a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia who also helped with President-elect Donald Trump’s first run for the White House in 2016. Stuart takes over the committee as Sen. Charles Trump (R-Morgan) takes a seat on the bench of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
🏛️ Senate President-elect Smith also named his picks for the top posts to another powerful committee. Sen. Jason Barrett (R-Berkeley) will take the top spot of Senate Finance, replacing Sen. Eric Tarr (R-Putnam) after Tarr was one of the contenders for the Senate presidency.4 Sen. Rolland Roberts (R-Raleigh) will take the number two position in Senate Finance as vice chair. “The Finance Committee does some of the hardest work and heaviest lifting in the Legislature, and it’s a tough job,” Smith said. “I knew I wanted a fresh set of eyes and a strong ability to work with all of our state agencies to take a hard look at our state’s revenues and expenses, and I am confident in Senator Barrett’s ability to take on this task.”
🏛️ The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals announced this week that Justice William R. “Bill” Wooten will serve as chief justice of the state’s high court this year. In a news release issued Monday, Wooten and his fellow justices reflected on the court’s work in 2024 and what lies ahead.5 “I am honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as chief justice in the coming year and look forward to this opportunity to lead our judicial branch,” Justice Wooton said. “West Virginia is unique in that we rotate our chief justice every year. I believe this helps strengthen our Court by allowing each of the five justices to share in the administrative work of the judicial branch while bringing our own individual perspectives to its leadership.”
🏛️ Riley Moore was sworn in Friday as West Virginia’s newest member of the state’s congressional delegation. Moore stepped away from his post as state treasurer — handing the reigns off to Larry Pack6 — and now takes the seat in the U.S. House, replacing Alex Mooney.7 Also Friday, Moore voted in favor of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reelection as leader of the new Congress.
🏛️ As Moore takes office in the U.S. House, his predecessor in that seat has been cleared by the House Ethics Committee of any wrongdoing in the personal use of campaign funds. On Monday, the committee announced it had closed an investigation into Mooney and other representatives.8 In July 2021, the board of the Office of Congressional Ethics voted 6-0 to support a further review of the allegations.
⛏️ Federal mining regulators say the state agency tasked with the same are failing to enforce action against a coal mine owned and operated by governor and soon-to-be U.S. Sen. Jim Justice. The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement have told the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection it may take over enforcing violations at a McDowell County mine operated by Bluestone Coal Corporation.9 DEP records show Bluestone has failed to pay $164,000 in delinquent environmental fines related to five environmental violations and seven operation cessation notices issued last year.
🐓 The West Virginia Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of bird flu in a backyard flock of chickens in Pocahontas County. The case, diagnosed at the department’s Animal Health NAHLN lab in Moorefield, marks the second in a domesticated bird in the state.10 “The WVDA acted swiftly to contain the disease and remains committed to collaborating with poultry owners to prevent its spread,” state Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt said. “As the state’s leading agricultural commodity, protecting the poultry industry is critical, and implementing emergency response plans is essential to safeguarding its future.”
🚙 A brand new, state-of-the-art travel plaza has opened in Beckley. Gov. Jim Justice held a dedication ceremony just days ahead of the plaza’s opening last Saturday. The $60 million facility has 50 additional parking spaces, 16 electric vehicle chargers and a number of fast food chains.11 “It is a marketing tool for this great state, and that’s what we really need,” Justice said. “We need more and more and more people to see West Virginia and absolutely see how great we are in many ways, and then, low and behold, people start coming, they bring their businesses, on and on and on.”
What we’re reading: Opinion and whatnot
Jimmy Carter and West Virginia ~ Hoppy Kercheval, WVMetroNews
With West Virginia struggling at the bottom, Manchin exits Senate touting the middle ~ Mike Tony, The Charleston Gazette-Mail
Governor Declares State Of Preparedness For Winter Storm ~ Jack Walker, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Governor-Elect Morrisey announces incoming administration, first cabinet appointments ~ Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
Senate President-Elect Randy Smith Names Leadership for Senate Judiciary Committee ~ News Release, West Virginia Legislature
Senate President-Elect Randy Smith Names Leadership for Senate Finance Committee ~ New Release, West Virginia Legislature
Justice Wooten to Serve as Chief Justice in 2025 ~ News Release, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
State Treasurer-elect Larry Pack sworn in as interim treasurer ~ Morgan Pemberton, WVMetroNews
Riley Moore sworn-in as the newest member of West Virginia's congressional delegation ~ Charles Young, WVNews
House Ethics Committee clears Mooney of any wrongdoing ~ Jeff Jenkins, WVMetroNews
Feds: DEP failing to take enforcement action against Justice-controlled coal mine ~ Mike Tony, The Charleston Gazette-Mail
West Virginia Department of Agriculture confirms case of bird flu in Pocahontas County flock ~ Aaron Parker, WVMetroNews
State-of-the-art Beckley Travel Plaza now open ~ Aaron Parker, WVMetroNews