West Virginia News & Current Events

A decades-long decline in abortions performed in the United States has now reversed, according to new data from the Guttmacher Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Amid Restrictions, Uncertain Fate of Roe, Abortions Rise in U.S.

The latest U.S. Census data reveals abortions have been on the rise across the nation. A new report from the Guttmacher Institute found 8% more …

National Guard members help with debris removal and cleanup after 2018 floods in Wheeling, W.Va. An increase in severe weather events is one consequence of a warming climate. (U.S. Air National Guard/Caleb Vance/Flickr)

WV Faith Leaders Voice Support for Climate Solutions

Faith leaders and environmental groups want West Virginia to implement policies aimed at cutting carbon emissions and slowing the pace of climate chan…

In 2019, West Virginia's McDowell County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Clay County and Roane County, according to data from The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. (Flickr)<br /> — In 2019, West Virginia's McDowell County had the highest gun death rate, followed by Clay County and Roane County, according to data from The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. (Flickr)

Gun Safety Focus of Charleston "March for Our Lives" Rally

West Virginians concerned about gun violence are rallying this weekend to put pressure on lawmakers to pass gun-safety measures in the wake of mass sh…

The Albright Dam is the last dam in West Virginia on the Cheat River, and environmental groups say it has long been an impediment to fish migration. (Joey Kimmet/Friends of the Cheat)

Albright Dam Removal Part of National River Cleanup Effort

Environmental groups say removing the Albright Dam on the Cheat River will help restore fish populations, improve water quality and expand outdoor …

The West Virginia Flood Tool is designed to provide floodplain managers, insurance agents, developers, real estate agents, local planners and citizens with an effective means by which to make informed decisions about the degree of flood risk for a specific area or property. (Adobe Stock)

WV Has 'One Chance' To Improve Flood Preparedness

The mayor of Huntington, where more than 200 homes were recently damaged by severe flooding, said now is the state's "one chance" to prevent other …

The West Virginia Emergency Management Division is asking residents of Cabell, Putnam and Roane counties to document and report damage from recent floods using an online damage-assessment tool to help determine eligibility for federal assistance. (Adobe Stock)

After Huntington Damage, WV Flood-Planning Event Takes Center Stage

Less than two weeks after the mayor of Huntington issued an emergency declaration over the second large-scale flooding episode to hit the city in the …

Nationwide, low-producing oil and gas wells leak roughly 4 million metric tons of methane emissions per year, according to new data from the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /> — Nationwide, low-producing oil and gas wells leak roughly 4 million metric tons of methane emissions per year, according to new data from the Environmental Defense Fund. (Adobe Stock)

WV’s Low-Output Oil, Gas Wells Big Contributors to Methane Emissions

Smaller oil and gas wells churn out roughly half the nation's overall methane emissions and contribute significantly to climate change, according to …

Two-thirds of the country's mental health-care deserts are in rural America, where three in five adults have reported the pandemic has impacted mental health in their communities "a lot or some." (Adobe Stock)

Experts: WV Mental-Health Issues Can Spur Child Anxiety

Marking Mental Health Awareness Month, advocates contended more outreach and services are needed to help West Virginia caregivers with their mental …

The nonprofit Save the Children says the digital divide is one reason children lagged behind in schoolwork during the pandemic. Four in 10 West Virginia families don't have reliable internet service. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Pandemic, WV Kids Still Catching Up at School

During the COVID pandemic, West Virginia's elementary school enrollment dropped and saw rankings near the bottom among states for some education …

A customized mobile food truck run by the Manna Meal food pantry will soon begin delivering hot meals to Charleston residents in need. (Amy Wolfe/Manna Meal)

Charleston Food Truck to Provide Daily Meals to Those in Need

American Rescue Plan funds will help bring a new food truck to the streets of Charleston, providing free hot meals to the region's most vulnerable …

A court has ruled the Mountain Valley Pipeline can change its crossing method for around 180 bodies of water and wetlands, and dig tunnels under, rather than through, them. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A court has ruled the Mountain Valley Pipeline can change its crossing method for around 180 bodies of water and wetlands, and dig tunnels under, rather than through, them. (Adobe Stock)

Routing MV Pipeline Under Streams, Wetlands Called Habitat Risk

Mountain Valley Pipeline developers are now allowed to dig tunnels below streams and wetlands, and environmental groups say they are concerned about …

American billionaires saw their net worth climb by a collective $2 trillion, increasing 70%, during the first two years of the pandemic, according to Forbes data analyzed by Americans for Tax Fairness. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — American billionaires saw their net worth climb by a collective $2 trillion, increasing 70%, during the first two years of the pandemic, according to Forbes data analyzed by Americans for Tax Fairness. (Adobe Stock)

WV Could Gain $335 Million a Year from Billionaire Income Tax

State advocacy groups say West Virginia stands to gain from taxing billionaires. The Biden administration's "Billionaire Minimum Income Tax" would …

Fort Martin is a coal-powered electric power station outside Morgantown. In 2020, West Virginia was the second-largest coal producer in the nation, after Wyoming, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. (Adobe Stock)

Manchin Rails Against Inflation, Continues to Push Fossil Fuels

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., railed this week against rising inflation, and is pushing for the use of fossil fuels to combat rising gas and energy …

A new report found 73% of the state's assessed waterways, including in the New River Gorge, are impaired for drinking, swimming or aquatic life. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV Among States With Most Impaired Sources of Drinking Water

West Virginia ranks among the top three states in the nation for the amount of rivers and streams used for drinking water classified as impaired…

The continuous enrollment requirement for Medicaid, enacted during the pandemic, helped millions of children keep their health-insurance coverage. But it expires in about two weeks. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Emergency Set to Expire, More WV Kids Could Lose Coverage

In a letter sent to the Department of Health and Human Services this week, the American Hospital Association and other health-care groups asked the …

Research shows Latino and Black children experienced the largest percentage-point increases in poverty since the federal expanded Child Tax Credit expired at the end of 2021. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Research shows Latino and Black children experienced the largest percentage-point increases in poverty since the federal expanded Child Tax Credit expired at the end of 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Without Child Tax Credit, More WV Kids Were Pushed Back into Poverty

It is estimated 50,000 West Virginia children are once again living below the poverty line, since families received their final expanded Child Tax …

Canaan Valley State Park in West Virginia is one of a handful of state parks already open to private leasing for development. (Adobe Stock)

Bill to Expand Private Leasing of WV State Parks Heads to Governor's Desk

Gov. Jim Justice is expected to sign legislation to allow private leasing of the state's public parks and forests, but critics worry there are not …

Use of solar and wind power has grown at a rapid rate over the past decade or so, but as of 2018 those sources still account for around 4% of all the energy used in the United States, according to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Ukraine Crisis a Reminder to Break Dependence on Fossil Fuels

As the crisis in Ukraine continues, experts argued investments in clean energy will lower costs for Americans and reduce dependence on foreign oil …

According to the Fines and Fees Justice Center, 48 states have laws that allow supervision fees to be charged to people on probation. (Adobe Stock)

Drug Offenders Could Get a Decade of Extended Supervision Under Proposed Law

People convicted of a second offense for selling or transporting fentanyl into the Mountain State could get up to a decade of extended supervision aft…

The nationwide unemployment rate for Black workers is 73% higher than that of white workers, according to data from the Century Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

WV Lawmakers Move to Slash Jobless Benefits

A bill moving through the West Virginia Legislature would cut unemployment benefits from 26 weeks to 12. Lawmakers cite cost and the need to push …

Many states have expanded voting access to people with felony convictions, but it's estimated that more than 5 million Americans remain disenfranchised, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock) <br /> — Many states have expanded voting access to people with felony convictions, but it's estimated that more than 5 million Americans remain disenfranchised, according to The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Bill Would Restore Rights for West Virginians on Probation, Parole

West Virginians with past felonies who are on probation and parole currently are barred from voting, but new legislation aims to change that…

A 2021 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found pollution from tailpipe emissions in the northeastern U.S. is carried across state lines and can affect the health of people living in downwind states. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A 2021 study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found pollution from tailpipe emissions in the northeastern U.S. is carried across state lines and can affect the health of people living in downwind states. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Could Restore States’ Authority to Regulate Tailpipe Emissions

States will soon be able to set their own tailpipe-emissions limits stricter than the federal government's, thanks to an expected rollback of a Trump-…

In 2020, around 5% of West Virginia families lacked health insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — In 2020, around 5% of West Virginia families lacked health insurance coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

WV Bills Aim to Lower Drug Costs, Prevent Medicaid "Cliff"

West Virginia groups are pushing state lawmakers to pass several bills related to health care, bills they say would lower copays and increase access …

Veteran farmers Jason and Sky, inside one of the high tunnels they procured with the help of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service.(Rebecca Haddix/USDA)

Black Farmers are Rebuilding Agriculture in Coal Country

By Natalie Peart for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Environmentalists say increased sediment from a proposed natural-gas pipeline project would cause significant harm to West Virginia's streams and aquatic life. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Court Rejects Mountain Valley Pipeline Permit

A federal court in Virginia has struck down a proposed permit for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, siding with environmental groups who said the project …

More than 300,000 West Virginia kids live in a county officially served by a Child Advocacy Center. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WV Saw Increase in Child-Abuse Cases Last Year

More than 600 child abuse charges were filed in West Virginia last year, and 94% of alleged offenders were someone the child knew. That's according …

Research shows that elderly adults bounce back faster from illness or injury, with fewer complications, at home than in a hospital. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Research shows that elderly adults bounce back faster from illness or injury, with fewer complications, at home than in a hospital. (Adobe Stock)

Biden Administration Aims to Expand Home-Based Care for Medicaid Recipients

Home-based care advocates say they are confident measures outlined in President Joe Biden's now-stalled Build Back Better Act will move forward in som…

The Long Run watershed, located in the Greenbrier Southeast Project area, supports native brook trout and drains into waters that are home to the endangered candy darter fish. (Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance)<br /><br /> — The Long Run watershed, located in the Greenbrier Southeast Project area, supports native brook trout and drains into waters that are home to the endangered candy darter fish. (Allegheny-Blue Ridge Alliance)

Conservation Groups Scrutinize Monongahela Timber-Harvest Proposal

A U.S. Forest Service timber-harvest proposal in Pocahontas County has conservation groups worried about potential harmful impacts to endangered …

The Biden administration's American Rescue Plan increased the Child Tax Credit for more than 65 million kids nationwide, according to the Center for Budget Policy and Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

For Parents in Recovery, Expanded Child Tax Credit Provided “One Less Stressor”

West Virginia families can expect a smaller federal Child Tax Credit this year, and no more advance monthly payments now that the Build Back Better …

In a Nov. 2021 poll by Navigator Research, 67% of voters said they believe federal voting rights legislation is necessary. (Adobe Stock)

West Virginians Call for Expanded Voting Access Ahead of Midterms

At a candlelit vigil in Charleston last night commemorating the one-year anniversary of the riot at the U.S. Capitol, attendees asked West Virginia's …

West Virginia ranked 44th in the nation for child well-being, according to the group West Virginia Kids Count. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — West Virginia ranked 44th in the nation for child well-being, according to the group West Virginia Kids Count. (Adobe Stock)

Stalled BBBA Could Boost WV Kids' Access to Preventive Care

Health advocates say the continuous-coverage provision in the Build Back Better Act - which has hit a dead end in Congress - would benefit West Virgin…

One in three high school students and half of female students now report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009, according to the U.S. Surgeon General. (Adobe Stock)

WV Families Anticipate More Mental, Financial Stress in New Year

West Virginia families expect increased financial stress and anxiety in the new year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment …

Despite a drop in global carbon emissions in 2020 due to the pandemic, worldwide CO2 emissions are estimated to be around 34 billion tons. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Despite a drop in global carbon emissions in 2020 due to the pandemic, worldwide CO2 emissions are estimated to be around 34 billion tons. (Adobe Stock)

Putting Price on Carbon Could Benefit West Virginians

Tax credits and direct payments to companies that capture and store their carbon emissions underground are a key feature of the climate provisions out…

West Virginia has been among the leading states nationwide for the number of children in the foster-care system per capita for the past several years, according to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. (Adobe Stock)

CPS Shortages, Lack of Data, Plague System as Demand for Foster Parents Rises

Children's advocates said they are hoping for major changes to the state's foster-care and child-protective services systems in the new year…

The Williams River in the Monongahela National Forest in one of the places conservation groups in West Virginia are working to protect against the effects of development. (Adobe Stock)

Mapping Project Uses Data to Guide WV Conservation Efforts

Conservation experts in the state are expanding a forest mapping tool to assess the impact of development on thousands of acres of public lands…

West Virginia organizer JoAnna Vance says the Child Tax Credit helped her pay off medical bills from her children's pediatric visits. (Provided by JoAnna Vance)

WV Organizers to Manchin: Child Tax Credit Must Stay in BBB

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As the deadline to pass the Build Back Better Act looms, West Virginia organizers are collecting stories from families in the …

Research from the Urban Institute has found expanding the federal Child Tax Credit would decrease child poverty by 40% nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

End of Child Tax Credit Payments a Worry for WV Families

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The final round of the federal government's Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments ends today, unless Congress votes to extend them …

Students, seniors and other West Virginia residents gather in Morgantown, calling on Congress to reform prescription drug prices. (Shane Assadzandi/Linda Benesch)

West Virginians Rally for Fair Prescription Drug Prices

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - West Virginians concerned about the rising cost of drug prices say they want Sen. Joe Manchin - D-W.Va. - to Vote for the Build …

Abandoned coal mines across the country have left communities grappling with unusable land and polluted water. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Abandoned coal mines across the country have left communities grappling with unusable land and polluted water. (Adobe Stock)

WV Communities Await Abandoned Coal Mine Lands Program Funds

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The Biden administration's recently passed infrastructure law provides $11.3 billion in abandoned mine land clean-up funding for 2…

Still from the "Hey Joe" music video, featuring residents across West Virginia singing to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. (Bobby Lee Messer)

“Hey Joe” Delivers Musical Message to Manchin on Climate Action

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As the U.S. Senate considers President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act, environmental advocates have a musical message for …

There are hundreds of natural-gas processing facilities in the nation, and more than half of these plants would meet the Toxics Release Inventory's chemical reporting thresholds for 21 different toxic chemicals, according to the EPA. (Adobe Stock)

New EPA Rules: Natural-Gas Facilities to Show Air-Pollution Data

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Natural-gas processing plants in West Virginia and around the country will soon have to start publicly reporting the chemicals …

Around 32% of Americans plan to travel for Thanksgiving this year, a decline from 35% last year, according to a recent survey from GasBuddy. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Around 32% of Americans plan to travel for Thanksgiving this year, a decline from 35% last year, according to a recent survey from GasBuddy. (Adobe Stock)

Gas-Powered WV Drivers Pinched at the Pump This Thanksgiving

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - West Virginia gas prices continue to climb, and experts say drivers can expect to shell out more money for gas through next year…

In 2020, the residential sector used 3.66 trillion Kilowatt hours of electricity, making up 96% of U.S. total electricity sales, according to data from the University of Michigan's Center for Sustainable Systems. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Biden’s Build Back Better Act Could Help Consumers Save on Energy

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Energy experts say the expanded rebates and tax credits proposed in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act could …

Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions as part of an effort to slow climate change also reduces air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter, that harm human health, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — Cutting greenhouse-gas emissions as part of an effort to slow climate change also reduces air pollutants, such as fine particulate matter, that harm human health, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Build Back Better Act’s Tax Credits Will Benefit WV Families

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Experts say the consumer rebates outlined in President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act will help families save money as they …

A mobile billboard is crisscrossing West Virginia to encourage Sen. Joe Manchin's support of President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" plan. (David Zielonka)

'Build Back Better' Plan Gets Mobile Billboard in WV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - You may spot a mobile billboard on your travels in West Virginia, and its creators hope the signage reminds people of how they …

The highest concentration of community risk for flooding related to climate change is in Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to a report by the First Street Foundation. (Adobe Stock)

WV Holds Climate Rally as Congress Inches Toward 'Build Back Better' Deal

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- This weekend, environmental groups host a "Halloween Rally for Climate Action" in downtown Charleston, featuring leading climate …

A 2020 report by the Environmental Working Group identified the presence of PFAS chemicals in the tap water of dozens of U.S. cities where contamination was not previously suspected. (Adobe Stock)<br /> — A 2020 report by the Environmental Working Group identified the presence of PFAS chemicals in the tap water of dozens of U.S. cities where contamination was not previously suspected. (Adobe Stock)

EPA’s PFAS Roadmap Could Soon Improve WV Communities' Water Quality

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The federal government said it soon will begin taking steps to study and restrict the use of so-called "forever" chemicals …

Roneisha and Tia are two moms receiving guaranteed incomes as part of the Magnolia Mother's Trust. (Art by Brandi Phipps/Ms. Magazine)

Moms Pull Out of Pandemic with Guaranteed-Income Program

By Katie Fleischer for Ms. Magazine.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for West Virginia News Service reporting for the Ms. Magazine-Public News …

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