By Autumn Shelton, West Virginia Press Association CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The House passed a bill on Tuesday that would prohibit the West Virginia Division of Corrections from publishing mugshots on their website.  House Bill 4621 was passed by a vote of 54 to 46 following a lengthy debate. The bill[Read More…]

By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For a third time since 2022, Republican members of the West Virginia Senate are pushing a change to tie the number of weeks of unemployment benefits to the unemployment rate while two major employers have announced layoffs. The[Read More…]

By Roger Adkins, Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A bill that would loosen restrictions on mandatory vaccinations for students in West Virginia cleared the House of Delegates after heavy debate Monday. House Bill 5105 aims to eliminate vaccine requirements for students attending public virtual schools, private schools and parochial schools, with[Read More…]

By Autumn Shelton, West Virginia Press Association CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia House of Delegates’ Government Organization Committee on Monday passed Senate Bill 714, which would combine the West Virginia Board of Osteopathic Medicine and the West Virginia Board of Medicine, out to the full House.   The bill is[Read More…]

By Barbara High, Mineral News and Tribune KEYSER, W.Va. — The Mineral County School System is currently facing a school bus driver shortage, resulting in some runs being cancelled. “It is a country wide issue; everyone is looking for employees,” says John Droppleman, director of Support Services for Mineral County[Read More…]

By Esteban Fernandez, Times West Virginian MONONGAH, W.Va. — After the recent deaths of a few Monongah residents to drug overdose, Monongah Town Council chose to lead by example to prevent it from happening again. The town invited members from the Marion County Quick Response Team to demonstrate how to[Read More…]

West Virginia Press Association Staff Report CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The backroads of Appalachia all led to Charleston on Friday, as motorsports enthusiasts from across the country descended upon the State Capitol for West Virginia Motorsports day. High performance vehicles of all shapes and sizes lined the building, while participants and[Read More…]

By Charles Young, The Exponent Telegram CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A measure Gov. Jim Justice recently said is a “tax” on tourism in the state passed the West Virginia Senate on Friday. Senate Bill 167 would allow county commissions to impose a fee of “up to $1” on certain tourism and recreational activities[Read More…]

By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Last month, staff for the West Virginia Public Service Commission issued a report finding a widespread failure among water utilities throughout the state to inspect, test and maintain fire hydrants. “[I]t is an unacceptable situation which must be corrected,” warned a state[Read More…]

By Taylor Kennedy, HD Media CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia high school football state championships are back in Charleston for the first time in three decades. The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission announced Thursday that Charleston won the bidding over Huntington/Morgantown, Wheeling and Bluefield and will host the[Read More…]