All WVU football games. Several Mountaineer basketball and baseball games, too.
And W.Va. Del Joe Canestraro (D-4th) is a Steelers fan, too, and yes, he was looking forward to Opening Day for the Pirates in Pittsburgh, but that, too, has been suspended along with March Madness, the NBA and NHL regular seasons and playoffs.
But these days? Without those distractions?
Canestraro has continued his work as an assistant prosecutor, but only during a few hearings that cannot be delayed. Otherwise, he’s caring for his mother, purchasing lunches and dinners from local restaurants fighting for survival, and he has stayed informed on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the United States, in West Virginia, and in Marshall and the surrounding counties in the Northern Panhandle and East Ohio.
As the incoming Prosecutor for Marshall County, Canestraro has the same question everyone else has right now. How long? Unfortunately, he, again, just like everyone else, can’t answer the question.
What precautions have you and your mother taken to remain safe during this pandemic.
Precautions we have taken: I think the biggest thing is continually cleaning surfaces, using hand sanitizer often, and washing hands often. Social distancing as well. We’ve done social distancing to the point where my mom and I drove out to my brother’s house and talked to my niece from outside her bedroom window, and my nephew actually stepped outside but was 10 feet away and spoke for about five minutes.
I think the biggest concern is with my brother being a dentist and continuing to see emergency patients that he is worried to have himself and the family around mom.
How has the COVID-19 coronavirus altered your work schedule as an assistant prosecutor in Marshall County?
It has altered my work schedule. The W.Va. Supreme Court has basically stayed most criminal cases except for those cases involving people that are incarcerated. Those hearings are taking place via video teleconference with the defendant at the jail and the defense lawyer, prosecutor and judge/magistrate in the courtroom. So, with very little court, I’ve found myself doing more prep work for trials that are set that may not happen until May or June now. We’ve also gone to a smaller staff in the office.
You also serve as a House delegate in the West Virginia Legislature. If Gov. Jim Justice were to call a special session in Charleston to allocate more aid dollars to state agencies, would you attend?
If the Governor calls us into special session, I will attend. I was elected to do the job and feel it is my duty to be there to represent the people of my district. I fully expect a special session to be called to deal with supplemental appropriations to the budget and appropriations to aid small businesses and the citizens due to Covid-19.
It’s my hope that the Governor can hold off any calls until the curve has been significantly flattened.
What are your thoughts on the performance and leadership by Gov. Justice?
Any leader, whether Gov. Justice, President Trump, county commissioners, city council members, and mayors are in a tough position right now due to Covid-19. As for the governor’s handling of the crisis, in my opinion, it has been so-so. I think the citizens of West Virginia want to be informed on steps they need to take to protect themselves, including shutting down non-essential businesses, bars and restaurants and mandatory stay-at-home orders.
The problem is Gov. Justice seems to have a way to call press conferences and addresses to the citizens and then say nothing of importance. It’s one thing to update everyone, (but) it’s another thing to go on television prime time on a Saturday night and then say nothing; it did nothing but scare everyone for no reason. Otherwise, he just needs to trust the experts … the doctors and health care professionals and not speak just to say he’s leading.
As a big sports fan, what have you been doing instead of attending and watching your favorite teams?
Without sports, I’m truly bored. Following WVU football, basketball and baseball, Pirates baseball, Steelers football, and the PGA Tour takes up a big amount of my free time. With these athletic events up in the air, I’ve found myself trying to read more, workout more at home lifting weights and cardio exercises at home and just keeping up with everyday news on the virus. Once the weather turns nicer, less windy, less rainy, you’ll probably find me somehow on a local golf course hacking the golf ball around.
