Elkins
Politics
Governor Jim Justice orders U.S. and State flags flown at half-staff on Memorial Day
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — Governor Jim Justice ordered that all United States and West Virginia flags on all State-owned properties will be flown at half-staff from dawn until noon on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, 2024. The flags will be flown at half-mast to honor the memory of the men and women who made the […]
Memorial Day Events in West Virginia for 2024
As Memorial Day approaches, communities across West Virginia are preparing to honor the brave men and women who have served and sacrificed for our country. Here is a roundup of the events happening tomorrow, May 27, 2024, to commemorate this significant day:
West Virginia Gov. Justice ends nearly two-year state of emergency over jail staffing
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Friday he is ending the state of emergency over staffing in the state Department of Corrections. The Republican governor called on the state National Guard to help stop worker attrition at the state's jails and prisons almost two years ago now. Last summer, the vacancy rate was more than 30%."We're just always proud to run to the fire," Gen. William E. Crane, Adjutant General of the West Virginia National Guard said during a briefing with the press Friday. Just over 730 members of the state National Guard worked in 17 of the state's correctional facilities while the state of emergency was in place, Justice said. Since January 2024, almost 240 people have graduated from the state's corrections academy. A total of 38 National Guard members assigned to work in the jails and prisons decided to stay on permanently, Crane said.Last summer, state lawmakers met in a special session to approve over $21 million for correctional officer pay increases, along with two one-time bonuses of $2,294 for other jail staff who are not correctional officers, like kitchen staff.Justice previously declared a state of emergency for the state's jails and prisons in 2017.
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 residents eligible for severe weather disaster relief
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Gov. Jim Justice and the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) announced on Friday that President Joe Biden has approved a Major Disaster Declaration for the state of West Virginia. Officials say this declaration is in response to the severe weather events from April 2-6, 2024, which included straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, […]
It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency:
Our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. As a platform hosting over 100,000 pieces of content published daily, we cannot pre-vet content, but we strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation.