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Morrisey emphasizes collaboration, defends foster care bill veto at Foster Care summit

He described the system as “broken for probably over 30 years,” while also pointing to recent efforts aimed at increasing transparency, accountability and coordination across agencies and communities.“Children grow up in families and communities, not in systems,” he said. “Government is not just the answer to all of these problems.”Although the proposal did not pass during the most recent legislative session, Morrisey said efforts are already underway within state departments to begin implementi...

Corridor H reaches another milestone with $85.4 million contract for Virginia line segment

WARDENSVILLE, W.Va. — Construction of the final West Virginia segment of Corridor H moved another step forward Tuesday after the West Virginia Division of Highways awarded an $85.4 million contract for the first phase of the highway extension from Wardensville to the Virginia state line.The contract was awarded to Triton Construction Inc. for $85,425,000 to build approximately 3.74 miles of Corridor H from Trout Run Cutoff Road to Waites Run Road. The project includes grading and drainage work,...

975 children in Harrison County will be having a very Merry Christmas thanks to the annual Angel Tree program

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — As hundreds of cars rolled through the garage doors of the Salvation Army’s warehouse and volunteers hurried across the warehouse floor, Christmas came early for over 435 families in Harrison County.The Angel Tree program allows families to apply online for assistance. Each child is represented by an “angel” tag that lists age, a basic need and a holiday wish. Community members can “adopt” an angel by purchasing gifts for that child or by donating toys and money that help fil...

Protesters deliver 'coffin' to Capito’s office, denounce One Big Beautiful Bill

On Monday afternoon, protesters delivered a cardboard coffin to the office of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., inside the United Bank building on Virginia Street East, in downtown Charleston. The protesters first gathered outside Capito's office to denounce the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4.As reported in May by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health policy research group, approximately 522,000 children and adu...

'More than a bookstore': Shop on Capitol Street in downtown Charleston turns 30

Saville bought the building that is now Taylor Books and turned the upstairs into her apartment. As a book lover, she decided she wanted to live above a bookstore, so she opened her own.Taylor Books has always been more than books and coffee, and also a labor of love. For 25 years, Saville would get up at 5 a.m. every day and make baked goods for the bakery, bringing them down a spiral staircase at the back of the store.Carlisle began working at the shop in 2009. He grew up in Minnesota and atte...

Water restored to Mount Olive prison after leak; nearby towns still affected

Since then, adequate water service to the prison's 950 inmates has been restored, but other water issues persist with boil-water advisories still in effect in surrounding communities. And now the Public Service Commission is insisting that West Virginia American Water Co. immediately take over the failing PSD.After a water line break last Tuesday, the Mount Olive Correctional Complex dealt with a water supply shortage for four days. The issue was repaired over the weekend, but other areas in nor...

'No one knows what’s going on from day to day': West Virginian nonprofits continue to serve communities despite frustration

Although the government will soon be open again, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have yet to be allocated this month to the 275,000 people in West Virginia who rely on them, and food banks continue to deal with uncertainty and unmanageable demand.“What’s going on with the government — telling us one thing, and then there’s no stability. No one knows what’s going on from day to day,” said Misty Tennant, director of the Soup Opera food bank in Fairmont.“No one knows if th...

'The land was a lot like West Virginia': 81-year-old Vietnam War veteran reflects on his time at war

“I was originally drafted, and then I joined after I got drafted,” Cumpston said. “I did that so I could get into something I was interested in instead of just taking a chance on whatever they wanted to put me in.”“When I first came back from Vietnam, it was terrible,” he said. “We were not treated very well. I came completely across the United States without anybody even talking to me because I was in uniform.”“We were involved in a little incident as we came into base camp,” he said. “That’s b...

Mountaineer Food Bank calls for support amid potential SNAP benefit delay

“I believe it’s $1.5 million for a day,” House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said regarding the cost of maintaining the state’s food banks. “I mean, when you look at that $13 million, that buys us ... a little bit over a week.”However, many organizations that provide food are not just struggling with funding but also with getting enough volunteers to handle the increased need.
“We could use some volunteers to help us put the boxes together,” James said. “It’s only really two of...

‘Change is possible’: Drug Court Program celebrates recovery and renewal with annual Thanksgiving luncheon

“Where I was four years ago is completely different. I was on the streets, struggling with heavy addiction,” said Jenny Wood, recipient of the program’s Thankfulness Award. “My progress shows that change is possible when you have even just a few people who believe in you and push you forward.”“It’s taught me a lot about accountability — being able to show up where I need to be on time and giving me a sense of freedom,” Wood said. “I have a job, my own apartment, and I get to video chat with my s...

Rand families continue to challenge county over sewer failures and home damage

During the visit with the county officials, Bryan Smith said that because of the water he has had extensive structural damage to his home, including shifting of the foundation, black mold, and damage to a wheelchair elevator that has been replaced twice.Brown said that although Malden has invested in improving their system, they still have a stormwater drainage issue. While the DOH works on the stormwater system, they have agreed to also replace Malden PSD wastewater lines they uncover. Brown an...

'An era of transparency': Morrisey pushes reform for the future of WV child welfare

Sartin was referring Thursday to the growing crisis in West Virginia’s child welfare system. According to the West Virginia Center on Budget & Policy, in 2023, there were more than 6,000 children in foster care — the highest rate per capita in the nation.The proposed series of reforms is primarily aimed at ensuring the compliance of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, a law that establishes detailed guidelines regarding public disclosure of key information in child abuse or neg...

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