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West Virginia Watch
How many inmates return to prison? Inconsistent reporting makes it hard to tell.
Several states this year have reported lower rates of recidivism, showing that fewer convicted criminals are being re-arrested after leaving prison. But those statistics hardly tell the full story. Recidivism rates across the country can vary greatly because of how they’re defined, how the data is collected and how it’s...
Warner’s election comments endanger our democracy
It shouldn’t require a strain on the imagination to accept that former president Donald Trump — a man who was impeached twice and left office with a 34 percent approval rating — lost the 2020 election fair and square. And yet, the belief that Joe Biden and...
US House Republicans back formal impeachment inquiry against Biden
The U.S. House voted along party lines Wednesday to officially proceed with an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden. The Republican-controlled chamber approved a resolution, 221-212, with Illinois Democrat Brad Schneider not voting, to allow three committees to continue their investigation into whether Biden benefited from his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings. If such a […] The post US House Republicans back formal impeachment inquiry against Biden appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
White House says funding for Ukraine is running out, with no deal in sight in Congress
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Wednesday there’s roughly $1 billion left in military aid for Ukraine and predicted that funding will last less than a month if Congress doesn’t approve another supplemental spending bill. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during the daily briefing that “the money is running out” and called on […] The post White House says funding for Ukraine is running out, with no deal in sight in Congress appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
US Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court announced Wednesday it will hear oral arguments and decide whether broad access to the abortion pill can remain legal across the United States. The justices’ decision to hear the case this term will put abortion access and the politics that comes with it back in front of the nation’s […] The post US Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
White House to meet with dozens of Democratic state legislators on gun violence prevention
WASHINGTON — The White House announced its Office of Gun Violence Prevention will meet Wednesday with nearly 100 Democratic state legislators in an effort to reduce gun violence and offer federal support. As part of the meeting, known as the Safer States Initiative, the Biden administration will aim to provide states with more tools and […] The post White House to meet with dozens of Democratic state legislators on gun violence prevention appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
One year in, Arizona’s universal school vouchers are a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation
The nation is watching as the devastating impacts of Arizona’s universal voucher program unfold. The most expansive and least accountable in the country, Arizona’s ESA voucher program is an unmitigated economic disaster with very real human impacts. Last year, Arizona lawmakers and Gov. Doug Ducey rammed through universal ESA vouchers pushed by out-of-state interests. The […] The post One year in, Arizona’s universal school vouchers are a cautionary tale for the rest of the nation appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
From flush to faucet: More places look to turn sewage into tap water
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — After an Orange County resident flushes her toilet, the water flows through the Southern California community’s sewer system, meanders its way to the sanitation plant, has its solids removed, is piped to a wastewater recycling facility next door and undergoes three different purification processes until it is clean enough to drink.
Massive defense bill advances in U.S. Senate, but faces objections from House conservatives
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate took an important step Tuesday on the nation’s annual defense policy bill, but the reliably bipartisan legislation is expected to hit the same hard-right opposition in the U.S. House that has dogged lawmakers since the beginning of this Congress. The Democratic-led upper chamber voted to end debate on this year’s […] The post Massive defense bill advances in U.S. Senate, but faces objections from House conservatives appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Zelenskyy pitches Congress on Ukraine military aid, but it’s tied to stalled border talks
WASHINGTON — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struggled Tuesday to convince members of Congress to approve billions in additional aid to his country at a crucial moment in the nearly two-year war with Russia. But the outlook was grim as lawmakers remained deadlocked on another piece of a supplemental spending bill under debate in the Senate […] The post Zelenskyy pitches Congress on Ukraine military aid, but it’s tied to stalled border talks appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Medicaid faces $114 million budget deficit next year, lawmakers told
West Virginia Medicaid faces a budget deficit of $114 million in the next budget year, Cindy Beane, the state’s commissioner for the Bureau of Medical Services, told lawmakers Tuesday. Beane presented an update on the program to members of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. Medicaid makes up the largest portion of the Department […] The post Medicaid faces $114 million budget deficit next year, lawmakers told appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
With pipeline growth booming, the US agency in charge of safety struggles to keep up
The pipeline industry added thousands of miles of natural gas, crude oil and carbon dioxide pipelines to the national network in recent years. But the federal regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that vast system’s safety failed to grow at the same pace. Pipeline miles expand every year, and are expected to see even faster growth […] The post With pipeline growth booming, the US agency in charge of safety struggles to keep up appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Weeks away from DHHR split deadline, lawmakers worry not enough is changing
As the state health department is weeks away from its deadline to split into three new departments, lawmakers are concerned that the changes won’t be enough to improve transparency and longstanding workforce issues. State lawmakers earlier this year mandated that the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources...
Anti-abortion attorneys ascend federal government ranks with Christian right legal training
When Mississippi Solicitor General Scott G. Stewart presented Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to the U.S. Supreme Court in December 2021, he argued that state lawmakers should be able to ban abortion at any time in pregnancy, not just after so-called “viability,” the point where a fetus could survive outside of a uterus. The […] The post Anti-abortion attorneys ascend federal government ranks with Christian right legal training appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
A businessman, an election denier and a nepo baby walk into a GOP gubernatorial debate
Last week, MetroNews hosted a roundtable discussion between three of the four Republican candidates for governor of West Virginia. House Judiciary Chairman Del. Moore Capito, businessman Chris Miller and Secretary of State Mac Warner met for the discussion hosted by Hoppy Kercheval of MetroNews’ show “Talkline”. Attorney General...
US Supreme Court asked to quickly rule on Trump claims of presidential immunity
WASHINGTON — Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to expedite a decision on former President Donald Trump’s claims of presidential immunity in the 2020 election interference case. Smith asked the justices to rule on a matter that ordinarily would first go to a lower federal appeals court, […] The post US Supreme Court asked to quickly rule on Trump claims of presidential immunity 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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