Richard Duncan

Be on the lookout….

@ExcelinAction @wvgovernor Pay raise hasn’t passed yet, may not. 3% just barely outpaces inflation, so educators likely will see less buying power after benefit cost increases are factored in.

Thank you @wvgovernor Patrick Morrisey for signing a budget that fully funds the Hope Scholarship with $300M, invests $6.4M in dual enrollment and provides a 3% pay raise for teachers. A strong win for West Virginia students and educators. lootpress.com/governor-morri…

@stevenadamswv With HB 5438 taking up to $15 million away from counties, the net will be less funding for counties (in addition to the drops in funding due to enrollment).

Changes made to a House school aid formula bill by the Senate Finance Committee Thursday takes out much of the House’s proposed block grant program but puts added emphasis on special education funding for county school systems and charter schools. newsandsentinel.com/news/local-new…

@ameliaknisely HB 5438 takes up to $15 million away from counties, so the net will actually be less funding for counties (in addition to the drops in funding due to enrollment).

WV senators axe most school funding formula changes, will consider only special education funding in these final days of session. State School Board President Paul Hardesty questioned if it was ‘putting lipstick on a pig.’ westvirginiawatch.com/2026/03/12/wv-…

This is also a map of population density, number of congressional seats per state, etc. Many, many maps are just population density disguised as other things to argue some point that really is “population density makes this thing more / less likely.”

@ameliaknisely In 2019-20, counties were 2,517.70 “over formula.” Not much difference. Record school closings haven’t moved the needle. Part of the problem, frankly, is how official reports frame “over formula.” But that aside, it’s a lack of change in a system that’s desparately needs it.

West Virginia schools are 2,685.92 school personnel positions over formula, according to the state education department. Some counties will use local funds to avoid cutting jobs. westvirginiawatch.com/2026/03/01/wv-…

Pushed for changes for >6 yrs. Even did a study in 2020 with conclusions similar to RAND but without $$$ for doing it. 2029 is too late for some, but a big step in knocking off the bureaucracy needed to run the formula and to reward local control, if we still believe in that.

That’s an older Prius, so from long before auto start-stop was added to other cars. As an owner of a 2021 and former owner of a 2004, I can confirm that the Prius doesn’t turn off its AC at stop lights. Rolling down your window, though, will let the cooler air out… 🤦‍♂️

Keeping cool while Making America Hot Again. 🏁 Auto start-stop is officially dead.

Big reason why my grandmother retired early - no longer needed the operators in Williamson.

True story - as an undergrad at @illinoistech, I was asked to speak at a Board of Trustees meeting. I scanned the room and noticed a man standing alone off to the side talking on his phone, and thought how attached we had become to cell phones. That man was Martin Cooper.

This is one of, if not THE greatest flex in modern history.

A STEM-designated degree at Illinois Tech Armour College of Engineering connects students to high-growth careers, hands-on experience, and global opportunity. Cutting-edge labs and real-world projects help turn potential into progress. iit.edu/blog/benefits-…

@OLearySW I was told that United Van Lines is a more reliable source than *squints* the United States Census Bureau.

COMMENTARY: Story of Hancock County Schools doesn't add up... wvmetronews.com/2026/01/27/sto…

@brianstone97 @ProjAmbassador

@ProjAmbassador What happened to the escape pods from the enterprise?

.@wvhouse finance meets today at 9. Local county school board superintendents will be before the committee. One message superintendents plan to discuss is the cost of special education vs the provided revenue. According to a financial analysis circulating to lawmakers from the office of school finance, special education costs outpaced revenues by $224 million in fiscal 25. Boards are making up the difference by eating into unrestricted reserves, but I’m told that is not sustainable. Each county super is today reaching out to their lawmakers with specific stats for their respective counties. All of this as talk about the school aid formula percolates.

@ameliaknisely “…intentionally hid the budget issues in the state’s online education database system.” Publicly available views of the county’s budgets show ridiculously low salary budgets for at least the last 3 years. That’s not hiding very well. wveis.k12.wv.us/schoolFinance/…

New: WV Senate pumps brakes on House’s emergency school funding for Hancock County’s financial crisis as many school districts are dealing with budget issues westvirginiawatch.com/2026/01/21/wv-…

@SpaceshipAddict Shhh. Don’t tell Grok. I just remember wondering why it took so much time in Encounter at Farpoint. It was like someone thought it needed the same treatment as the refit in TMP. It was new, sure, but on TV you were going to have tons of opportunities to show it off later.

@RDRocketDoctor That sounds made up lol

I do find it funny that the defiant was dreamt to have detaching half, then a detaching nose, then nothing. Lol I’m glad though. I always felt like saucer separation was silly and overhyped in tng. Like it took 256 minutes to fully separate and slowed down the plot. 🤣