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West Virginia Watch
States grapple with racist language in real estate deeds
Lisa Boccetti is horrified by the restrictive covenant that is in the deed to her 1950s ranch house in Raleigh, North Carolina: It states that the land cannot be sold or occupied by Black people. The property “shall not be sold to negroes or to any person or persons of...
West Virginia’s highly effective immunization laws protect our children and communities
I remember my mother — who just celebrated her 91st birthday earlier this month — recalling her three children all having the measles at the same time. As the youngest of three, I have no recollection, but even at the ripe old age of 91 my mother remembers the anguish and exhaustion of caring for all three of us.
Ahead of climate conference, U.S. House panel tussles over curbs on emissions
Republicans on a U.S. House panel argued Wednesday against aggressive moves to meet carbon reduction goals, saying U.S. fossil fuel companies are working to make their products cleaner. Democrats on the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Minerals countered that to achieve further reductions, federal policies should be continued […] The post Ahead of climate conference, U.S. House panel tussles over curbs on emissions appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Schumer on U.S. Senate floor condemns ‘rank antisemitism’ amid Israel-Hamas war
WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the nation’s highest-ranking Jewish official, spoke from the chamber on Wednesday about the rise of antisemitism in the United States since the attack by Hamas militants on Israel and that nation’s airstrikes on Gaza. Schumer, speaking to a mostly empty chamber, an unlikely setting for what he described […] The post Schumer on U.S. Senate floor condemns ‘rank antisemitism’ amid Israel-Hamas war appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Attorneys suing state over foster care say DHHR ‘deliberate’ in deleted email scandal
Attorneys who sued the state over its treatment of foster children will continue to pursue sanctions against the state health department over deleted emails. The evidence could have shown the realities of the state’s overwhelmed child welfare system. Plaintiffs attorneys sought the emails as part of an ongoing class-action lawsuit against the West Virginia Department […] The post Attorneys suing state over foster care say DHHR ‘deliberate’ in deleted email scandal appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
When foster care kids are sex trafficked, some states fail to figure it out
For help, call 1-888-373-7888 or text *233733 for the 24/7 National Human Trafficking Hotline, a national, toll-free hotline. When she was a 10-year-old foster child, T Ortiz often rode a public bus around the San Francisco Bay area, alone. She’d frequent a bus stop by a barber shop. Little by little, the barber, who was […] The post When foster care kids are sex trafficked, some states fail to figure it out appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Gun violence as a public health crisis explored by U.S. Senate Democrats
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats on Tuesday discussed how to treat gun violence as a public health crisis, in hopes of building upon last year’s federal gun safety legislation. “Across the country, gun violence is a public health epidemic,” Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, the chairman of the committee, said in his opening remarks. […] The post Gun violence as a public health crisis explored by U.S. Senate Democrats appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Second lawmaker calls for investigation into DHHR’s handling of Sissonville abuse, neglect case
Del. Mike Pushkin, lawmaker and chair of the state Democratic Party, called on the governor to launch “an immediate and thorough” investigation into how the state handled a child welfare case where two children were found living in a shed. A Republican lawmaker already made a similar appeal for additional scrutiny. Public records, obtained by […] The post Second lawmaker calls for investigation into DHHR’s handling of Sissonville abuse, neglect case appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
U.S. Senate panel advances former Maryland governor’s nomination to lead Social Security
WASHINGTON — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley moved one step closer Tuesday to becoming the next Social Security commissioner, a role that would become increasingly difficult as the program inches closer to insolvency during the next decade. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee voted 17-10 to send O’Malley’s nomination to the floor, though it’s not clear […] The post U.S. Senate panel advances former Maryland governor’s nomination to lead Social Security appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
State says no docs exist showing CPS responded to calls about Sissonville kids found locked in shed
Newly obtained documents show child protective services workers were told in August to promptly check on the children in Sissonville who were found last month living in a shed without access to running water or a toilet. However, the state health department doesn’t have travel documentation showing that CPS workers made contact with the children […] The post State says no docs exist showing CPS responded to calls about Sissonville kids found locked in shed appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
‘This is not fixed yet’: West Side residents await repairs to damaged appliances
Two weeks after a high-pressure water main break infiltrated its natural gas distribution lines, Mountaineer Gas says it has restored service to 100% of Charleston’s West Side. But while gas has been accessible to everyone in the community since Friday, some households are still waiting on their water-damaged appliances...
New life for old coal: Minelands and power plants are hot renewable development spots
PETERSBURG, Ind. — AES Indiana’s Petersburg Generating Station, which towers over the White River in southwest Indiana, has been burning coal to generate electricity since the late 1960s. That era, though, will come to an end soon. Two of the power plant’s four coal-burning units have already retired...
Getting into the holiday spirit by helping others
Charleston has been going hard on the holiday spirit this year with Holly Jolly Brawley and Light the Night at GoMart Ballpark. And don’t forget the Holly Jolly Brawley Trolley, which provides free rides between all of the festive locations. While some feel it’s the most wonderful time of the year, the holidays can be […] The post Getting into the holiday spirit by helping others appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Less driving but more deaths: Spike in traffic fatalities puzzles lawmakers
Traffic deaths are lingering near historic highs in most states despite less driving overall, prompting policymakers to consider deploying more police or installing automated monitoring such as speed cameras to curb speeding and reckless driving. People are driving fewer miles than they were in 2019, but more are dying on roadways. Traffic deaths spiked 18% […] The post Less driving but more deaths: Spike in traffic fatalities puzzles lawmakers appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
The veterinarian shortage is serious in WV. Agricultural leaders hope a new program can help.
An ongoing shortage of veterinarians and their support staff in West Virginia is complicating care for both domestic and farm animals across the state, but agricultural and animal science experts are hopeful that a new, first-of-its-kind program can help fill the gap. With support from the state Department of Agriculture...
Man featured in Brad Paisley music video reflects, hopes to educate on substance use disorder
It was nothing short of chance that landed Brian Simpkins, a Logan County native, on computer and television screens across the country earlier this year as part of West Virginia native and country music star Brad Paisley’s new single, “The Medicine Will.”. The 40-year-old works at least 360...
Cash bail policies are under fresh scrutiny
States can’t figure out what to do about cash bail. The system — in which an arrested suspect pays cash to avoid sitting in jail until their court date and gets the money back when they appear — is deeply entrenched in the nation’s history as a way to ensure defendants return to face justice.
How U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson helped derail a fight against election lies
Back in July, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. A federal court had recently granted a temporary injunction, in Missouri v. Biden, finding that the Biden administration had violated the First Amendment by coercing social media companies to remove content, related both to elections and the COVID-19 vaccine, that […] The post How U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson helped derail a fight against election lies appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Charter school offering free nursing courses for high school students up and running
A new charter school in West Virginia gives students the opportunity to jump-start a degree in nursing before they graduate from high school, saving them thousands of dollars in college tuition costs. Win Academy, the state’s first charter school housed within a community college, is an accelerated degree program that...
Israel and Hamas agree to temporary cease-fire, hostage release deal
WASHINGTON — Israel and Hamas have reached a deal for a short-term humanitarian ceasefire that will allow the release of some hostages and increase humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip, U.S. officials said late Tuesday. President Joe Biden praised the agreement to release 50 of the approximately 240 hostages taken by Hamas during the […] The post Israel and Hamas agree to temporary cease-fire, hostage release deal 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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