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Mountain State Spotlight
West Virginia’s Senate race may shift limits of US climate ambitions
This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here. For decades, West Virginia has elected senators who have played an oversized role in United States energy policy, backing fossil fuels and resisting robust action […] West Virginia’s Senate race may shift limits of US climate ambitions appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
In Preston County, residents want better schools, more jobs
KINGWOOD — In Brown’s Park on the edge of Kingwood, Desteny Queen sits on the orange seat of a metal swing set and watches her girlfriend’s 8-year-old son jump up and down at the top of a nearby slide. Now on summer break, the child just finished a year filled with difficult interactions between him […] In Preston County, residents want better schools, more jobs appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
Q&A: Lincoln County House candidates respond to resident concerns about infrastructure, jobs and bringing young people back to the area
Mountain State Spotlight traveled around Lincoln County to ask residents what they want to hear candidates talk about as they ask for votes. Here are some questions based on those conversations: The 30th District in the West Virginia House of Delegates encompasses almost the entirety of Lincoln County, except for the southwestern-most part. There are […] Q&A: Lincoln County House candidates respond to resident concerns about infrastructure, jobs and bringing young people back to the area appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
In-person event: Join us in Welch for a community conversation about the 2024 election
Mountain State Spotlight is on a mission to reshape how the media covers elections. We believe that voters want election coverage that is less focused on press releases and polls and more on the questions that they have for candidates. McDowell County residents have told us that they see tourism and improved infrastructure as the […] In-person event: Join us in Welch for a community conversation about the 2024 election appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
In Lincoln County, some young folks have decided to stay. They want better jobs, roads and cell service
HAMLIN — Cody Lambert edges off the gas on Route 3, east of Hamlin to point out where the Board of Education is building the new Duval Middle School. The old Duval Middle School had been shut down for a few years, after structural engineers deemed it unsafe. As Lambert recollects it, the school was […] In Lincoln County, some young folks have decided to stay. They want better jobs, roads and cell service appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
In this tiny mountain town, tourists take a break from city living. But Davis residents say Airbnb rentals are pricing them out
In Tucker County, the over-a-century-old National Bank of Davis now holds one of several shops on the main street in Davis, where locals sell West Virginian artwork and wares to visiting tourists. The three-story building was erected during the heyday of the logging industry at the turn of the 20th century. But after much of […] In this tiny mountain town, tourists take a break from city living. But Davis residents say Airbnb rentals are pricing them out appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
As the election nears, McDowell County residents demand more than empty promises
ANAWALT — Thurman Chapman sits on the porch of his little house up a curvy road between Anawalt and Jenkinjones. On a sunny day in late May, a slight breeze plays melody on the wind chimes hanging from his awning. Chapman, 82, lived his whole life in McDowell County. He’s been married going on 53 […] As the election nears, McDowell County residents demand more than empty promises appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
What you need to know about West Virginia’s child welfare crisis
In a rare move last week, top aides to Gov. Jim Justice faced the press to respond to growing concerns over the death of a 14-year-old Boone County girl. But while the press conference to talk about Kyneddi Miller’s death was unusual for the governor’s office, the tragic event is only the latest in a […] What you need to know about West Virginia’s child welfare crisis appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
Lawmakers came back to Charleston and left again with no action to help West Virginians with child care
West Virginia child care centers are closing. A deadline to fund help so parents can afford child care is fast approaching. Lawmakers and Gov. Jim Justice insist that child care is a priority. But again last week, policymakers met and adjourned without taking any child care action. After child care was not addressed during the […] Lawmakers came back to Charleston and left again with no action to help West Virginians with child care appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
Ritchie County residents found pollution in their drinking water. Now local officials are scrambling to fund a new system
ELLENBORO — Mark Parsons and his wife live on a 150-acre farm in Ritchie County, raising cattle, guinea hens and chickens. They’re also raising their two young children, a family and business plan they’ve long had to stay in their native state after meeting at West Virginia University. They bought the farm, which has been […] Ritchie County residents found pollution in their drinking water. Now local officials are scrambling to fund a new system appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
New testimony from top official describes widespread problems with West Virginia’s child welfare system
The West Virginia agency charged with protecting children repeatedly rejected proposals to reform the child welfare system as kids were beaten and died, a senior state official said in sworn testimony made public on Thursday. Jeremiah Samples, a former deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources who now advises top lawmakers, said […] New testimony from top official describes widespread problems with West Virginia’s child welfare system appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
West Virginia lawmakers just sent $180 million to help seniors, kids and the disabled. It’s not nearly enough
In Charleston this week, lawmakers spent several days bickering over the details of a funding package to help some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. Back home in legislators’ districts across the state, real West Virginians continued to need more help and support. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities languish in state psychiatric institutions. Seniors […] West Virginia lawmakers just sent $180 million to help seniors, kids and the disabled. It’s not nearly enough appeared first on Mountain State Spotlight, West Virginia's civic newsroom.
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