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West Virginians get fresh start

Gov. Patrick Morrisey gave West Virginians a peek at his inspiration when he touched on points from the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush during his inauguration ceremony on Jan. 13. Rather than Reagan’s “shining city on a hill,” Morrisey repeatedly referred to West Virginia as “that shining state in the mountains.” Later, he appeared to give a nod to Bush’s No Child Left Behind education initiative by saying we will aim to assure every child has a chance to thrive and that “We will leave no one behind.”

It is encouraging to hear the state’s new governor say he is focusing on hope — becoming economically competitive, doing right by students and those working in the public school system, continuing to attack the substance abuse epidemic and being a beacon of opportunity and prosperity for all.

Certainly, he has showed his willingness to get to work quickly on that which he believes is important for achieving those goals.

On Jan. 14 in Washington, U.S. Sen. Jim Justice took the oath of office to join fellow Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito in getting to work for the Mountain State.

Justice understands it is “time to set America on the right path,” and that he has a job to do.

“Together, we can work in tandem to implement the changes that West Virginians demanded for our country at the ballot box in November,” Capito said.

“I’m excited for all he will accomplish as a Senator and look forward to the results we can deliver for the Mountain State as a unified team.”

West Virginia’s team — from our senior senator in the nation’s capital to the greenest member of the House of Delegates in Charleston — knows what Mountain State residents expect of them. If they keep their focus on providing the hope, opportunity and prosperity about which Morrisey spoke, we will be a shining state in the mountains, indeed.

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