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West Virginia Watch
State of emergency declared at Martinsburg middle school due to 23 Title IX violations, 160 fights
The state school board declared a state of emergency at Martinsburg North Middle School after 23 Title IX violations regarding discrimination and 160 physical fights this school year. Students are struggling academically there, too, with only 6% of students demonstrating proficiency in math skills. “You and your board have collectively and categorically failed both the […] The post State of emergency declared at Martinsburg middle school due to 23 Title IX violations, 160 fights appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump
WASHINGTON — Adult film star Stormy Daniels told a Manhattan jury Tuesday about meeting Donald Trump in a penthouse suite in 2006, where he told the actress not to worry about his wife and that she reminded him of his daughter shortly before they had sex. The testimony, reported by journalists in the courtroom, described […] The post Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate
Lawmakers who oppose abortion often invoke their faith — many identify as Christian — while debating policy. The anti-abortion movement’s use of Christianity in arguments might create the impression that broad swaths of religious Americans don’t support abortion rights. But a recent report shows that Americans of various faiths and denominations believe abortion should be […] The post Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
WV agency won’t release docs showing where money was spent putting foster kids in hotels
Every month, dozens of West Virginia foster children sleep in hotels and motels — sometimes even offices or cabins. The state doesn’t have enough foster families to take children into their homes. The West Virginia Department of Human Services spends $2.1 million annually on temporary housing for foster children, like hotels, according to a department […] The post WV agency won’t release docs showing where money was spent putting foster kids in hotels appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
TikTok sues to block new U.S. law banning app if it is not sold
TikTok and its Chinese parent company on Tuesday challenged a recently enacted federal law banning the short-form video platform from the United States if it is not sold to a non-Chinese owner. TikTok Inc., the U.S. company that operates the popular social media service, and ByteDance, its parent company founded by Chinese entrepreneurs, filed suit […] The post TikTok sues to block new U.S. law banning app if it is not sold appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
‘It’s up to Mike Johnson’: Marjorie Taylor Greene again stalls vote on U.S. House speaker
WASHINGTON — Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and Kentucky’s Thomas Massie left a meeting with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday, saying the “ball is in his court” on whether they hold a floor vote to remove him from leadership. Greene filed the so-called motion to vacate in late March and has been using […] The post ‘It’s up to Mike Johnson’: Marjorie Taylor Greene again stalls vote on U.S. House speaker appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
West Virginia governor’s race is a battle of who can be the most anti-trans
Originally published by The 19th The Republicans vying to be governor of West Virginia are trying to outdo one another on how much they aim to restrict LGBTQ+ rights, with transgender individuals specifically in their bull’s-eye. Ahead of the state’s May 14 primary elections, the two candidates leading the GOP field are Patrick Morrisey, the […] The post West Virginia governor’s race is a battle of who can be the most anti-trans appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Biden decries campus antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden warned Tuesday of rising antisemitism in the U.S. and said too many are forgetting the attack on Israel in October. During a Holocaust memorial speech at the U.S. Capitol, Biden stressed the importance of honoring the 6 million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, and the victims of Hamas’ […] The post Biden decries campus antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Caring for older Americans’ teeth and gums is essential, but Medicare generally doesn’t cover it
C. Everett Koop, the avuncular doctor with a fluffy white beard who served as the U.S. surgeon general during the Reagan administration, was famous for his work as an innovative pediatric surgeon and the attention he paid to the HIV-AIDS crisis. As dentistry scholars, we believe Koop also deserves credit for something else. To help […] The post Caring for older Americans’ teeth and gums is essential, but Medicare generally doesn’t cover it appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal
Preventing people who are not United States citizens from casting a ballot has reemerged as a focal point in the ongoing Republican drive to safeguard “election integrity,” even though noncitizens are rarely involved in voter fraud. Ahead of November’s presidential election, congressional and state Republican lawmakers are aiming to keep noncitizens away from the polls. […] The post Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Pulitzer Board recognizes Alabama Reflector editor in commentary category
Brian Lyman, in his welcome column, launched States Newsroom’s Alabama outlet with these words: “The pain and promise of Alabama collide on Dexter Avenue, the heart of Montgomery.” The Alabama Reflector’s founding editor, he’d spent a lot of his 24-year journalism career as a reporter covering the state’s politics. And, he joked, he hadn’t penned […] The post Pulitzer Board recognizes Alabama Reflector editor in commentary category appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Lawmakers say state canceled tour of hospital where man ‘burned alive’ in whirlpool
Lawmakers say that the Department of Health Facilities leadership canceled legislators’ chance to tour a state-run hospital where an elderly, nonverbal man died after being left in scalding water. This is the second instance where lawmakers said the department has canceled their attempts to get answers about the patient’s gruesome death at Hopemont Hospital in […] The post Lawmakers say state canceled tour of hospital where man ‘burned alive’ in whirlpool appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene huddles with U.S. House speaker she’s trying to oust
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene plan to meet privately Tuesday amid her calls for him to resign or face a floor vote that could, but likely won’t, remove the Louisiana Republican from leadership. Greene announced the meeting Monday evening after she and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie met […] The post Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene huddles with U.S. House speaker she’s trying to oust appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
State denies record requests in high-profile death of Boone County girl
A state agency declined to share records showing if Child Protective Services knew about the girl who was found earlier this month “in a skeletal state” on the bathroom floor of her Boone County home. Family members of the deceased girl told WCHS that they had contacted CPS about 14-year-old Kyneddi Miller prior to her […] The post State denies record requests in high-profile death of Boone County girl appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Early voting underway in West Virginia; more than 24K ballots cast so far
More than 24,000 ballots have been cast in the first few days of early voting for West Virginia’s primary election, officials say. As of Saturday, 24,579 West Virginians had voted, according to unofficial totals from the Secretary of State’s Office. Early voting started May 1. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, 58,684 West Virginia […] The post Early voting underway in West Virginia; more than 24K ballots cast so far appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
As primary election approaches, Miller campaign takes out four more self-funded loans
As the primary election quickly approaches Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Miller is betting big on ad buys, taking out four new self-funded loans for his campaign throughout the month of April to cover the costs, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday. Despite collecting about $68,000 in contributions in April, Miller spent nearly $2.9 million over the month’s 30 days, which is the period covered by the final campaign finance reports filed before the primary. The post As primary election approaches, Miller campaign takes out four more self-funded loans appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Can’t install your own solar panels? Some areas let you join a community project.
For four generations, Steve Wine’s family has tended a 600-acre farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, raising steers and growing corn, soybeans and alfalfa. The farm has struggled in recent years with rising costs and slumping crop markets, leaving Wine to question the operation’s viability. In a bid to sustain the farm, Wine will begin in the coming months to harvest a new crop: solar energy. He’s leased 34 acres to a solar electricity developer, which has installed panels that will generate about 5 megawatts of power at peak capacity. The project is funded by subscriptions from about 1,000 households in the region, who will receive credits on their electricity bills based on the power it generates. The post Can’t install your own solar panels? Some areas let you join a community project. appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Biden administration to issue rule expanding DACA health care access
The Biden administration will publish a final rule Friday that will allow about 100,000 uninsured people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in state-run or private health insurance plans provided under the Affordable Care Act, administration officials said. The post Biden administration to issue rule expanding DACA health care access appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Many states are eager to extend Medicaid to people soon to be released from prison
A new policy that allows states to provide Medicaid health care coverage to incarcerated people at least a month prior to their release has drawn bipartisan interest and a slew of state applications. Federal policy has long prohibited Medicaid spending on people who are incarcerated in jails or prisons, except for hospitalization. As a result, […] The post Many states are eager to extend Medicaid to people soon to be released from prison appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
Doctors plead with Congress to help improve U.S. maternal mortality rates
Doctors on Thursday urged Congress to pass legislation addressing the disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality throughout the country and to lower barriers that have hindered people of color from becoming medical professionals. The post Doctors plead with Congress to help improve U.S. maternal mortality rates 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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