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West Virginia Watch
Israel-Hamas war sets progressive and young voters on collision course with White House
Joe Biden has a problem. Seven months ahead of the presidential election, some progressives, young voters and Muslim American voters are showing serious reservations about the Democrat’s reelection campaign as his administration backs Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. “For some of those people — maybe a critical number — what’s happening in […] The post Israel-Hamas war sets progressive and young voters on collision course with White House appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
To close racial gap in maternal health, some states take aim at ‘implicit bias’
Countless times, Kenda Sutton-El, a Virginia doula, has witnessed her Black pregnant clients being dismissed or ignored by clinicians. One woman was told by doctors that swelling, pain and warmth in her leg was normal, despite warning the clinicians that she had a history of blood clots. Sutton-El urged her to visit the emergency room. […] The post To close racial gap in maternal health, some states take aim at ‘implicit bias’ appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
WV environmentalists laud agreement with EPA for more oversight in some state waters
Environmental groups in West Virginia celebrated a “landmark victory” as they reached an agreement with the federal Environmental Protection Agency regarding historic failures to set acceptable levels for certain pollutants in some West Virginia waterways. The proposed consent decree was published in the Federal Register on March 29, and would require the EPA to create […] The post WV environmentalists laud agreement with EPA for more oversight in some state waters appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
The IRS is testing a free method to directly file taxes. But not everyone is thrilled.
WASHINGTON — Many U.S. taxpayers in a dozen states for the first time can electronically file their federal returns directly to the Internal Revenue Service for free — but critics insist the new federal benefit is not needed and will even harm both users and states. More than 50,000 taxpayers in Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, […] The post The IRS is testing a free method to directly file taxes. But not everyone is thrilled. appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Health and Human Services increases loan forgiveness for OBs, midwives who practice in rural areas
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday a $25,000 increase in loan forgiveness available to primary care providers in designated underserved areas. That means qualifying individuals are eligible for up to $75,000 in forgiveness if they commit to two full-time years of service. The amount is available to medical and osteopathic doctors, […] The post Health and Human Services increases loan forgiveness for OBs, midwives who practice in rural areas appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Weather service: two tornadoes hit Kanawha Tuesday, damage assessments ongoing
At least two tornadoes were part of the storm system that hit Kanawha County on Tuesday, according to preliminary information from the National Weather Service in Charleston. Crews from the weather service are continuing to do damage assessments in Kanawha County on Friday, said John Peck, a meteorologist with the weather service. Preliminary results of […] The post Weather service: two tornadoes hit Kanawha Tuesday, damage assessments ongoing appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
As drag shows go ‘mainstream,’ some red states look to restrict them
Drag performances used to be found mostly in the confines of nightlife venues such as clubs and bars. But drag has stepped into the daylight, with elaborately costumed and made-up performers appearing at library readings and kid-friendly brunches, and a newfound visibility for gender-bending entertainment and self-expression. “Drag now versus 15 years ago is like […] The post As drag shows go ‘mainstream,’ some red states look to restrict them appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
First Foundation talks guidelines, goals for funding and oversight in April meeting
In a free-flowing meeting on Thursday, members of the West Virginia First Foundation outlined potential goals and guidelines the organization could follow as it gets closer to distributing money for programs and initiatives to confront the ongoing drug and overdose epidemic in West Virginia. It was the board’s first full meeting since accepting the resignation […] The post First Foundation talks guidelines, goals for funding and oversight in April meeting appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Tornado touched down in Fayette County, weather service says
A tornado hit the town of Hico in Fayette County during Tuesday’s severe weather, according to a preliminary assessment by the National Weather Service in Charleston. The tornado was believed to have been an F2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale for damage, said Simone Lewis, a meteorologist with the weather service, meaning wind speeds were […] The post Tornado touched down in Fayette County, weather service says appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
GOP, Trump build on immigration fears to push voting restrictions in states
With polls showing unauthorized immigration as Republicans’ best issue for the fall, the GOP is looking to raise the alarm about voting by non-citizens and the undocumented. The multi-pronged effort has been advanced in congressional legislation, public statements by top election officials and U.S. senators, plans produced by grassroots activists, and posts on X by […] The post GOP, Trump build on immigration fears to push voting restrictions in states appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Marshall doctors work on long COVID treatment as WV holds highest disease prevalence in U.S.
In West Virginia, where the prevalence for long COVID in adults outpaces every other state in the nation, doctors at Marshall University are leading the effort to educate and treat patients living with the complex ailments. Long COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, includes a wide range of health issues that […] The post Marshall doctors work on long COVID treatment as WV holds highest disease prevalence in U.S. appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
State’s plan for reducing foster kids in group homes met with pushback
West Virginia foster care leaders are trying to reduce the number of foster children who are institutionalized, and they’ve rolled out a plan that could eliminate certain types of care in hopes of pushing kids to community-based services. The problem, child residential providers say, is there’s a critical shortage of pediatric behavioral health providers around […] The post State’s plan for reducing foster kids in group homes met with pushback appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Is this the least productive congress ever? Yes, but it’s not just because they’re lazy
Congress has once again been making headlines for all the wrong reasons, with multiple news outlets in recent months touting the current 118th Congress as possibly the least productive in the institution’s history. In 2023, Congress only passed 34 bills into law, the lowest number in decades. Congress was only recently able to pass a […] The post Is this the least productive congress ever? Yes, but it’s not just because they’re lazy appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
USPS moving forward to plan to shrink South Charleston mail facility
The United Postal Service will go forward with a plan to transfer some operations of a South Charleston mail facility to Pennsylvania, the agency announced Tuesday. The Charleston Processing and Distribution Center will stay open, but transition to a local processing center. Mail processing outgoing operations will be transferred to both the Pittsburgh Processing and […] The post USPS moving forward to plan to shrink South Charleston mail facility appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Democrats’ quest to hang on to U.S. Senate majority centers on Arizona, Montana and Ohio
WASHINGTON — Political consultants and Beltway pollsters are setting up camp in purple states to join a towering battle for control of a narrowly split U.S. Senate, but come November, only the voters will make that choice. The road to the majority in the upper chamber of Congress mostly runs through Arizona, Montana and Ohio, […] The post Democrats’ quest to hang on to U.S. Senate majority centers on Arizona, Montana and Ohio appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Freedom Caucuses push for conservative state laws, but getting attention is their big success
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — When a Republican colleague threatened to read aloud from a 2-foot stack of books — including a biblical guide to leadership and a tome by anti-tax activist Grover Norquist — to protest inaction on his bills last week, Missouri state Sen. Rick Brattin quickly took up the cause. Seizing on a chance to […] The post Freedom Caucuses push for conservative state laws, but getting attention is their big success appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Powerful storm leaves 52,000 in Kanawha Valley without power on Tuesday
Powerful winds and hard rain swept through the Kanawha Valley early Tuesday afternoon, taking down trees, powerlines and billboards and leaving around half of Kanawha County residents without power. Winds in some places reached up to 90 miles per hour according to the National Weather Service, and no part of the county was spared, said […] The post Powerful storm leaves 52,000 in Kanawha Valley without power on Tuesday appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Biden campaign, Jan. 6 officers decry Trump use of ‘political violence’ in post of video
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign on Monday called on voters to disavow violence as a viable part of this year’s campaign cycle, including comments made by his Republican opponent and former President Donald Trump. Former U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges and Biden-Harris Communications Director […] The post Biden campaign, Jan. 6 officers decry Trump use of ‘political violence’ in post of video appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
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West Virginia Watch is an independent, nonpartisan news service based in Charleston. Our journalists will hold public officials and agencies accountable, and inform West Virginians of what’s going on behind closed doors. We focus on issues that affect our state every day – such as poverty, access to health care, the foster care system – with an aim of filling the gaps in coverage caused by shrinking newsrooms. The Watch is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit network supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. We retain full editorial independence. West Virginia Watch is free to read without paywalls or subscription fees.
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