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The Republican Gazette welcomes Emails to the Editor and press releases. All submitted items must include the name and contact information for the author of the article, and all articles will only be published with the author's name included. Thank you for reading and participating in The Republican Gazette, another of West Virginia's most biased publications.Charleston Gazette business editor Joe Morris blew the lid off the Brickstreet Insurance company this week with a story detailing the salaries of top executives and board members.And today, the Gazette got it right in an editorial, saying, "BrickStreet was state-created to replace the state government’s Workers’ Compensation Fund, so it’s at least halfway a government unit, and all its finances should be open to the daylight."Ever since Gov. Joe Manchin and the Legislature waved a magic wand over the workers' comp agency and declared it to suddenly be a "private company," Brickstreet executives have refused to discuss internal aspects of its operation.Fortunately, though, the company must file annual reports with the state insurance commission, and on Wednesday, Morris wrote a story revealing salaries of top executives and board members.Of particular concern to Gazette editorial writers was the hiring of the daughter of Brickstreet's chairman, and the refusal to reveal her salary, again citing the "we are a private company" excuse.Morris revealed this week that Brickstreet president Greg Burton -- who was the former head of the agency when it was under state control -- received a compensation bump of nearly 40 percent, bringing home nearly $195,000 in 2006. Other Brickstreet executives made well over $200,000 last year.Morris also finally revealed the compensation paid to Brickstreet's board of directors for their part-time duties. Chairman Harry Tarsuk Jr. was paid $37,167. Thomas Flaherty was paid $26,667; David Rader, $27,667; Stephen Roberts, $21,000; and Steven White, $26,667. In the Morris story, Burton could not adequately explain the difference in compensation for the board members. As the Gazette editorial concluded, "No wonder Brickstreet tried to hide its salaries. These windfalls are shameful for quasi-state bureaucrats."The revelation of salary amounts comes on the heels of a Charleston Daily Mail story revealing that Brickstreet is now paying agents a four percent commission, despite the fact businesses have no choice but to do workers comp business with Brickstreet, the only game in town. 
Gov. Joe Manchin is preparing to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and define his legacy as an enabler of the gambling lobbyists, promising this week to sign into law the Manchin Gambling Act of 2007.Gov. Bob Wise's administration will always be remembered for slots, Mojo's will be remembered for table games -- our governors at work.With final legislative approval on Thursday, Manchin's spokesperson said the gov would sign the bill. Then it will be up to the voters of four counties to approve referendums, or send a message that the state's future should not be tied to a roll of the dice.Gov. Mitt Romney hit most of the right notes in his remarks to about 300 attendees of the Kanawha County Lincoln Day Dinner Thursday evening, touting his history of growing his state's economy without tax increases and his traditional views on marriage and families.Romney was well received by the assembled Republicans, most of whom seem still undecided about a presidential preference and are still in the phase of listening and learning.At one point, Romney said he would trade his U.S. Senators from Massachussetts -- Ted Kennedy and John Kerry -- for the senators from almost any other state, although he may not have thought that out too well, given his Thursday audience.Kanawha Chairwoman Melody Potter and her committee put on a great event that avoided the pitfalls of many Lincoln Days, running the program on time and dismissing the crowd before fatigue could set in.