skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Albright Dam Removal Part of National River Cleanup Effort

play audio
Play

Friday, June 3, 2022   

Environmental groups say removing the Albright Dam on the Cheat River will help restore fish populations, improve water quality and expand outdoor recreation for West Virginians.

The U.S. Interior Department recently announced $1 millions in funding toward removing the defunct Albright Dam as part of an effort to improve water quality and restore free-flowing waterways nationwide.

Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy, director of river restoration for the advocacy group American Rivers, said the private dam impounds water for about a half-mile.

"The dam doesn't serve any purpose at all, and it is a barrier for really important fish species," Hollingsworth-Segedy asserted. "For the people of West Virginia, the dam also contributes to decreased water quality in the Cheat River."

She added removing the dam would address environmental concerns and reconnect more than 1,000 miles of rivers and streams in an area of the Mountain State rich in biodiversity. There is wide agreement the dam has outlived its usefulness, but the state has to come up with about one-third of the cost to remove it.

Frank Jernejcic, a member of the nonprofit group Friends of the Cheat River and a retired biologist, explained dams can harm fish populations by blocking their natural passage between feeding and spawning grounds.

"Fish, particularly walleyes, have moved upstream from Cheat Lake through the Cheat Canyon, and they're now stopped at the Albright Dam," Jernejcic pointed out. "Removal of the dam will allow the walleyes to move on upstream."

A recent investigation by The Associated Press found defunct or poorly maintained dams across the country can pose serious threats to communities.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Opponents of a South Dakota bill that would require the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms say it would be an unfunded mandate. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A South Dakota House committee takes up a controversial bill today that would require all school districts in the state to display the Ten Commandment…


play sound

Virginia ranks third behind only Maryland and Delaware among the worst states for the average amount of back wages companies owe to their workers…

Social Issues

play sound

Immigrant advocates in Florida are ramping up efforts to help families navigate President Donald Trump's new immigration orders, which have increased …


A Lumina Foundation report revealed 712,000, or almost 44% of Marion County adults, have either an associate's or bachelor's degree, or some type of professional certification. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

The rate of U.S. high school seniors seeking higher education is on the upswing, according to research from Lumina Foundation. Although Hoosier …

play sound

New York State is making historic higher education investments. As part of the 2026 budget proposal, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes free community …

Gov. Josh Shapiro's Pennsylvania state budget proposal would strengthen efforts to reintroduce vocational education into Pennsylvania classrooms, with a $5.5 million boost for Career and Technical Education. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed state budget includes a significant increase for public education to address Pennsylvania's school funding issues and …

Social Issues

play sound

Alabama nonprofits are coming together to tackle challenges that may threaten their survival, from declining donor support to shifting federal …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Consumer advocates in Maine said the availability of enhanced subsidies have helped record numbers of people get the health care coverage they need…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021