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West Virginia Watch
Planned Parenthood affiliates train abortion doulas to reduce stress for patients
A 39-year-old single mother of two got up extra early on a recent Wednesday morning, hoping to be one of the first outside the Planned Parenthood clinic near Phoenix, Arizona. The upside of not telling anyone about her abortion was that she wasn’t going to have to explain herself. The downside was that she couldn’t […] The post Planned Parenthood affiliates train abortion doulas to reduce stress for patients appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Sunshine Week a time to look at lack of transparency in West Virginia’s government
It’s nothing short of poetic that daylight saving time and Sunshine Week — a national celebration of open government — should both coincide with the end of this year’s legislative session. The current legislative majority was elected on a platform of transparency and accountability, but practice hasn’t exactly aligned with preaching. This session was again […] The post Sunshine Week a time to look at lack of transparency in West Virginia’s government appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Justice: ‘I’ll sign the budget,’ but plans to call special session ‘soon’
Gov. Jim Justice said Thursday he will approve the budget bill passed by the Senate and the House of Delegates over the weekend, but he plans to call lawmakers back for a special session, possibly in April. “I’ll sign the budget because we need a budget,” Justice said during his weekly administration briefing. “We absolutely […] The post Justice: ‘I’ll sign the budget,’ but plans to call special session ‘soon’ appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Jonathan Board suspends state Senate run to accept executive director role of WV First Foundation
Jonathan Board, a current board member of the West Virginia First Foundation, will soon take over as the private nonprofit’s executive director following a monthslong national search to fill the position, according to a Thursday announcement from state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. For the past several months, Board has been running a campaign to represent […] The post Jonathan Board suspends state Senate run to accept executive director role of WV First Foundation appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Schumer levels heavy criticism at Israel on U.S. Senate floor, calls for elections there
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged an overhaul of both Israeli and Palestinian Authority leadership and said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “has lost his way,” in strong and lengthy comments delivered on the U.S. Senate floor Thursday morning. The New York Democrat — the highest-ranking Jewish member in Congress — called for […] The post Schumer levels heavy criticism at Israel on U.S. Senate floor, calls for elections there appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
U.S. House Speaker Johnson says IVF should be protected — just not by Congress
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday that it’s up to states and not Congress to preserve access to in vitro fertilization, weighing in on a growing national debate and campaign issue. “It’s not my belief that Congress needs to play a role here,” the Louisiana Republican said during a press conference at the House […] The post U.S. House Speaker Johnson says IVF should be protected — just not by Congress appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Biden says it’s ‘vital’ for U.S. Steel to remain owned and operated by Americans
U.S. Steel should remain a domestically owned and operated company, President Joe Biden said Thursday, implicitly rejecting an attempt by the Japanese company Nippon Steel to buy the iconic U.S. manufacturer. Biden issued a brief written statement Thursday morning that did not name Nippon, which announced a deal in December to acquire Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. […] The post Biden says it’s ‘vital’ for U.S. Steel to remain owned and operated by Americans appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Justice says he’ll review school vaccine bill before deciding whether to sign it
Gov. Jim Justice said Thursday he’d have to review a bill that would loosen the state’s strong school vaccine laws before he decides whether he will sign it into law. Justice told reporters his office has been “bombarded with calls” from doctors and other people about House Bill 5105, which was approved by the Senate […] The post Justice says he’ll review school vaccine bill before deciding whether to sign it appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
If schools won’t ban kids’ cellphones, some lawmakers say, they will
At David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, the rule is that students must keep their cellphones out of sight during class. In reality, the teachers tasked with enforcing the rule are no match for teenagers’ “almost compulsive” need to be on their phones all the time, said science teacher Noelle Gilzow. Gilzow confiscates […] The post If schools won’t ban kids’ cellphones, some lawmakers say, they will appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Jefferson County commissioners arrested, out on bond after failure to attend meetings
Two Jefferson County commissioners — including a candidate for state auditor in the upcoming election — were arrested earlier this week on 42 misdemeanor charges spurring from what the commission president called a “political, illegal strategy” to block the commission from holding a quorum and filling a vacant seat. Tricia Jackson and Jennifer Krouse, the […] The post Jefferson County commissioners arrested, out on bond after failure to attend meetings appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
After two months of primaries and caucuses, Biden, Trump clinch their nominations
The rematch is set. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clinched their parties’ nominations for president by winning state primaries Tuesday, setting up the same choice voters saw in the 2020 election. Both candidates are unpopular with the general electorate, but neither faced serious hurdles to their nominations in the states that have […] The post After two months of primaries and caucuses, Biden, Trump clinch their nominations appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Teacher union leader urges governor to veto school vaccine bill
The head of one of the state’s teacher unions has called on the governor to veto a bill that would loosen West Virginia’s school vaccine requirements — joining medical professionals who are pushing for a veto, as well. House Bill 5105, which passed on Saturday in the final hours of legislative session, would allow the […] The post Teacher union leader urges governor to veto school vaccine bill appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
GOP U.S. Sen. Lankford of Oklahoma blocks bill expanding IVF for vets, service members
WASHINGTON — Washington state Democratic Sen. Patty Murray tried to pass a bill Tuesday that would expand access to in vitro fertilization for military service members and veterans, but Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford raised an objection and prevented the legislation from moving forward. “The recent chaos in Alabama caused by far-right ideology put a […] The post GOP U.S. Sen. Lankford of Oklahoma blocks bill expanding IVF for vets, service members appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
U.S. House votes to ban TikTok unless it is sold by China-controlled parent
WASHINGTON — Citing major national security concerns, the U.S. House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a bill that effectively bans TikTok unless the company splits from its Chinese owner ByteDance. The 352-65 vote occurred just a week after lawmakers introduced the bipartisan proposal and days after the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously advanced […] The post U.S. House votes to ban TikTok unless it is sold by China-controlled parent appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Business owners, union leader urge U.S. Senate to move ahead soon on stalled tax package
WASHINGTON — Business owners, CEOs and a steelworkers’ union official urged lawmakers Tuesday to quickly pass a tax policy bill that has been stalled in the U.S. Senate since the end of January. The witnesses invited to testify on manufacturing taxation before the Senate Committee on Finance told the panel that the proposal, which includes […] The post Business owners, union leader urge U.S. Senate to move ahead soon on stalled tax package appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Most of the key public education bills died on the final night of West Virginia’s session
Republican lawmakers’ key education legislation aimed at fixing problems in the public education system failed to pass in the final hours of West Virginia’s legislative session. One of the most important education bills, according to the Senate, would have given elementary teachers more authority to remove aggressive or threatening students from their classrooms. It was […] The post Most of the key public education bills died on the final night of West Virginia’s session appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
AI disinformation, threats to poll workers top U.S. Senate panel list of election worries
WASHINGTON — Senators on the U.S. Senate Rules Committee expressed concerns Tuesday that poll workers may need protection and that artificial intelligence could interfere in the fall elections. Leading members of the committee said AI has already been used to promote disinformation that has interfered with elections, while elections workers have for years experienced intimidation. […] The post AI disinformation, threats to poll workers top U.S. Senate panel list of election worries appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
States consider menthol cigarette bans as feds delay action
CLERMONT, Fla. — It was just after sunset, and the evening traffic was buzzing on Highway 50 as 24-year-old Elijah Kinlaw popped into his local Walgreens in Clermont, Florida, to pick up some smokes. He had just finished a long day working at a local roofing company, and he was still wearing his neon green […] The post States consider menthol cigarette bans as feds delay action appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
White House budget director says Biden plan would ‘give working families a shot’
WASHINGTON — White House budget director Shalanda Young pressed senators Tuesday to pass legislation implementing core elements of President Joe Biden’s latest budget request, saying it would boost the economy and programs that help working Americans. Young told the Senate Budget Committee during a two-hour hearing the tax, spending and economic policies in the proposal […] The post White House budget director says Biden plan would ‘give working families a shot’ 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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