Board Chairman and Wheeling Mayor Nick Sparachane presided over the Home Rule Board meeting on the campus of West Virginia University on Wednesday. The home rule applications of Wheeling, Charleston, Huntington and Bridgeport were all approved.

This is only the beginning of the process.  Now, each city is left to draft and pass ordinances through their respective City Councils that will include more specific information regarding their plans.

"Think about how interesting some of these council meetings will be when the cities want to pass these ordinances. The citizens will probably get pretty excited about a lot of it, but that is why we have home rule - to give power to local elected officials," Sparachage said.

Senate President Harry Reid (D-NV) temporarily suspended debate over the mandatory collective bargaining bill after acrimonious and partisan disagreements over Senate procedures affecting this bill and others erupted on the Senate floor. 

At Sen. Reid's request, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), a key supporter of the bill, and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), a key opponent, are attempting to work out a compromise that would allow debate to continue.  If Enzi and Kennedy are able to work out an agreement, debate on the bill is expected to resume.