West Virginia News & Current Events

Visitors can take in the view from Bear Rocks at the Dolly Sods. According to data collected by the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, an estimated 35,000 people visit the Dolly Sods each year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Dozens of volunteers help maintain West Virginia’s Dolly Sods

A volunteer program has caught the attention of West Virginia tourism officials. The Dolly Sods Wilderness Stewards program has been recognized with …

60.5% of all graduate school completers have federal student loan debt; 54.2% have debt from their graduate studies, according to the Education Data Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Graduate degree costs have tripled since 2000

The cost of a graduate degree tripled between 2000 and 2020, according to a new report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the …

Some 78% of Americans are concerned about rising utility bills, according to a 2024 survey from CNET. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV regulators dismiss AEP rate hike proposal

A proposed rate hike by American Electric Power that would have affected customers in two dozen West Virginia counties is off the table for now…

Medical co-pays in prisons are associated with worse access to health care behind bars, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Adobe Stock)

WV’s $5 prison copay called a barrier to care for incarcerated people

New research showed medical copays are preventing incarcerated people from receiving medical care. West Virginia's $5 copay is much higher compared …

The nation's child poverty rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 13.7 percent in 2023, according to newly released Census data. (Adobe Stock)

WV poverty rate for children among highest in nation

The number of West Virginia children living in poverty remains among the highest in the nation, and more children are living in households struggling …

More than 200 child care centers in West Virginia closed between 2018 and 2019, according to ChildCare Aware. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Child care, tax cuts expected focus of upcoming WV special session

West Virginia lawmakers will convene for a Special Session on Sept. 30, with the state's child care crisis, proposed income tax cuts and supplemental …

Solar panels on the roof of Lifeline Church of God in Princeton, W.Va. (Resource Rural)

Federal funding reduces barriers to solar for WV schools, churches

Wayne County Schools and a church in Princeton have installed solar panels with help from the Inflation Reduction Act, local grants and solar …

From 2011 to mid-2020, 95 gigawatts of coal capacity was closed or switched to another fuel and another 25 gigawatts is slated to shut down by 2025, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia’s PSC faces lawsuit over coal-plant directive

The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is facing legal challenges for its 2021 directive that Appalachian Power increase the usage of three of…

More people are traveling farther and across multiple state lines to access abortion care, according to data from the Guttmatcher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

WV voters worried about abortion care, reproductive health access

New polling found an overwhelming majority, 85% of Americans believe abortion access should be allowed in some situations. Two years ago in the …

According to federal data, law enforcement accounted for 82% of all delinquency cases referred to juvenile court in 2019. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV NAACP lawsuit says state agencies failed to collect juvenile justice data

West Virginia state agencies have failed to collect data on incarcerated youth, according to a new lawsuit filed by the West Virginia NAACP in the …

Good jobs are defined as paying a median salary of $74,000 for workers ages 25 to 44, and $91,000 for those ages 45 to 64. (Adobe Stock/AI-generated)

Report: Percentage of good jobs, skilled trades to increase over next decade

As the economy continues to struggle with inflation and ongoing fears of a potential recession, a new report found the nation's labor market will add …

Health effects from exposure toxic algae include skin rashes, headaches, vomiting, pneumonia and more, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock/AI-generated)<br />

Toxic algae blooms are on the rise in WV, industrial farming a driving cause

Harmful algae bloom events are increasing, according to a recent analysis of EPA data from the advocacy group Environment America and have occurred …

Thousands of Charleston, West Virginia, residents signed a petition to create a municipal measure to reduce penalties for marijuana possession. (Adobe Stock)

WV city OKs measure reducing jail time, fees for marijuana possession

Charleston City Council members have greenlighted a citizen-led municipal measure to reduce local penalties for some marijuana possession offenses…

Despite reforms to reduce the use of juvenile life without parole sentences, thousands of youth and emerging adults have been left behind, according to The Sentencing Project report. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: WV has made progressive youth sentencing reforms

West Virginia has made significant criminal justice reforms in reducing harsh sentences for children, according to the latest report from The …

According to a June 2024 survey from The Pew Research Center, 33% of Americans think installing a solar panel farm in their community would help their local economy, while just 7% think it would hurt it. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV green lights solar plant construction, advocates rally against rising utility bills

Residents in Nicholas and Clay counties could soon receive their electricity from a local solar plant, estimated to power around 90,000 homes in the …

Mental health tops the lists of concerns of parents with kids younger than 18, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. (Adobe Stock)<br />

A holistic approach to get WV kids on right back-to-school track

More than 263,000 West Virginia kids will soon return to school, and experts said it is crucial for parents to stay up-to-date with doctors' visits …

A proposed transportation project would build a four-lane highway through the adjacent towns of Thomas and Davis, W.Va. (West Virginia Highlands Conservancy)

WV small business owners push for northern 'Corridor H' route

Concerns about environmental and economic disruption by the proposed "Corridor H" four-lane highway project have led dozens of small businesses in two…

Huntington, W.Va., resident Lindsey Crittendon, a former social worker, is a graduate of NewForce, a fully remote and tuition-free coding school program. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Program creates jobs for West Virginians to stay in their communities

This article was produced by Resource Rural.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Resource Rural-Public…

Research shows global plastic production has surged from 15 million tons per year in 1964 to more than 450 million tons per year today. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Biodegradable plastics more marketing than environmentally friendly

As West Virginia opens its door to the plastics recycling or "advanced recycling" industry, a recent report found only a fraction of plastics are …

More than 2,000 people in prison currently face execution in the United States. (Gorodenkoff/Adobe Stock)

200 people on death row exonerated since 1973

It's being called a historic milestone - 200 people have been exonerated after being sentenced to death since 1973, what's known as the modern era of …

The number of home-schooling families in the state is about 13,000 and continues to grow, according to the West Virginia Home Educators Association. (Adobe Stock)

WV lawmakers urge passage of Raylee’s Law during special session

After the tragic death of Kyneddi Miller, a 14-year-old West Virginia girl found dead in her home, some state lawmakers are calling on the governor …

In 2017, mental health and substance use disorder emergency department visits in the U.S. cost more than $5.6 billion, according to federal data. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginia taking steps to strengthen 988 crisis response system

More households, workplaces, and schools are struggling with mental health crises, and a new report by the mental health advocacy group Inseparable …

Hunger Free America's 2023 Annual Hunger Survey found more than 175,000 people in West Virginia are food insecure. (Adobe Stock)

Health center to develop programs to fight WV food insecurity

A West Virginia community health center is participating in a program addressing food scarcity. The National Association of Community Health …

A proposal making the rounds in Washington, D.C., would incentivize states to incarcerate fewer people in exchange for federal funds to retool their sentencing guidelines. (Adobe Stock)

Proposal: Pay states to change sentencing guidelines, reduce prison populations

In West Virginia, 11,000 people are behind bars, mostly in state prisons and local jails. A new proposal has surfaced to bring those numbers down but …

As of June 2023, about 5% of Americans had unpaid medical bills on their credit reports - down from 14% in March 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Adobe Stock)

WV advocates: eliminate medical debt from credit scores

West Virginia healthcare advocates are applauding a recent proposed rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to remove medical bills from cred…

A zombie mine is shown in Clintwood, Kentucky. (Erin Savage)

Zombie mines continue to pose environmental, health threats to Appalachia

West Virginia and other Appalachian states are littered with hundreds of "zombie mines," abandoned mines neither producing coal nor undergoing reclama…

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated a total of $16 billion to address legacy pollution, including $11.3 billion in Abandoned Mind Land funding over 15 years. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV receives $140 million to clean up abandoned mine lands

West Virginia will receive $140 million to clean up legacy pollution in regions decimated by decades of coal mining. The money is part of $725 …

Chronic absence from school may be driving learning loss. Thirty percent of all students, or about 14.7 million, were chronically absent in 2021-2022, nearly double pre-pandemic rates, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: WV kids face sliding reading, math scores

Math and reading proficiency among West Virginia kids has worsened over the past five years, according to new data. The latest Kids Count Data Book …

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which for nearly 50 years had affirmed the constitutional right to an abortion. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: One in five women personally impacted by Dobbs decision on abortion

As Texas made recent headlines for ruling against a group of women seeking abortion for serious pregnancy complications, polling found one in five …

Public records show West Virginia police officers are allowed to switch departments after being fired or resigning for misconduct. (Adobe Stock)

In lieu of termination: Tracking WV police officers after misconduct incidents

By Kyle Vass for Dragline.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the ACLU of West Virginia-Public News Servi…

Republican West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is leading more than two dozen states in a lawsuit aimed at overturning the Environmental Protection Agency's recently released power plant regulations. (Adobe Stock)

Scorecard: How WV lawmakers vote on clean air, water

As West Virginia leads a group of states in a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency's new emissions rules for power plants, a recent …

From Appalachia to the Bayou to the desert Southwest, folklorists say culture can teach us about adapting to a warmer world. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As climate change fractures communities, folklorists help stitch them back together

By Katie Myers for Grist.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News…

Children need regular well-child and dental visits to track their development and find health problems early, when they are usually easier to treat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Procedural reasons driving WV kids' loss in health coverage

More than 62,000 West Virginia kids have been dis-enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program or CHIP and most were removed for p…

In 2018, America's top billionaires paid just 23% of their income in taxes, according to Americans for Tax Fairness. (Adobe Stock)

Report: America’s wealthiest now worth a record $5.8 trillion

The nation's billionaires have doubled their wealth over the past seven years, while working people in West Virginia and elsewhere continue to face …

Blackwater Falls in Blackwater Falls State Park attracts visitors who spend more than $25 million in the region yearly, according to West Virginia State Parks. (Adobe Stock).<br />

Report: WV’s Blackwater River among America’s most endangered

The Blackwater River, which flows more than 30 miles through West Virginia's Allegheny Mountains, ranks among the top 10 most endangered rivers in …

The 17,371 acre Dolly Sods Wilderness in the Monongahela National Forest is part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, according to the U.S. Forest Service. (Adobe Stock)<br />

After Alaskan mining decision, other states may step up conservation efforts

The Biden administration has denied approval for a project to build more than 200 miles of road in the Alaskan wilderness. On this Earth Day…

According to the West Virginia Historical Society, the state had among the highest concentrations of chemical plants in the United States for nearly a century. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Experts: EPA chemical plant emissions rule a win for WV communities

Chemical plants in West Virginia and other states will be required to curb emissions of toxic, cancer causing pollutants - such as ethylene oxide…

In the last decade, West Virginia state jails were the deadliest in the country, with 91 people who have died in jails over the past four years. (Adobe Stock)<br />

As WV’s jail crisis mounts, ‘Second Look’ policies gain traction

Amid overcrowding and unsafe conditions in West Virginia jails, state lawmakers introduced bills that would allow judges to take a 'second look' at …

A more diversified economy, including solar energy, is stopping the

putting people in West Virginia to work through paid on-the-job training. (Adobe Stock)">

Reimagining WV coal country by building on state’s legacy as an energy provider

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public New…

An estimated 16% of coal workers are affected by black lung disease and after decades of improvement, the number of cases of the disease is on the rise again, according to the American Lung Association. (Adobe Stock).<br />

Black Lung cases rise, as federal benefits stagnate

The benefit payments miners sick with black lung disease receive are not keeping pace with the cost of living, a new analysis showed. Current …

Since 2019, the total compensation paid to exonerees has nearly doubled. It now exceeds $4 billion, according to a new report by the National Registry of Exonerations. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Report: Compensation to exonerated people nearly doubled in five years

People wrongfully convicted of crimes in the United States have received around $2.2 billion in compensation claims since 2019. A new report by the …

Across the country, most states offer 26 weeks of unemployment insurance contingent upon the laid-off worker demonstrating their continued eligibility, according to the West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: Changes in WV unemployment benefits will harm families amid inflation

Critics say a bill passed by West Virginia lawmakers increases the bureaucratic red tape folks who rely on unemployment benefits have to navigate and …

Nationwide, nearly four in 10 state prisoners and three in 10 federal prisoners reported having a disability, compared to 15% of the general population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock/generated with AI)

People with disabilities over-represented in justice system

Nationwide, people with disabilities are overrepresented both as victims of crime and those who are accused of crimes, and advocates believe the …

According to the U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia has more than 15,000 acres of state-owned lands. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Concerns voiced about language in WV forest management bill

The West Virginia Senate has passed a bill to allow private forest fire management on state lands but environmental groups said they are concerned its…

More than two dozen states have legalized the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)<br />

West Virginia House lawmakers pass bill expanding sales of raw milk

West Virginia House delegates passed a bill this week that would allow raw milk products from farmers to be sold directly to consumers. Maria Moles…

The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. In 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and AmeriCorps signed a five-year agreement to establish the Forest Corps, to create job opportunities that reduce wildfire risk, support reforestation and make national forests and grasslands healthier and more resilient. (Adobe Stock)

American Climate Corps: Building more climate-resilient WV communities

A Biden administration program, the American Climate Corps, aims to hire and train 20,000 people in conservation, climate and clean energy jobs…

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va (far left), and other lawmakers join President Joe Biden as he signs the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Aug. 16, 2022. (Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm/Wikimedia Commons)

Super PAC spending in WV Senate race ramps up as Manchin bows out

By Harshawn Ratanpal for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the OpenSecrets-Public News Serv…

Federal data show millions of people live in counties lacking adequate air monitoring, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)<br />

WV bill threatens community air monitoring efforts

After West Virginia House lawmakers advanced a bill to ban residents from using citizen air monitoring data in lawsuits, community groups said they …

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