More than 7,500 public school students in West Virginia transferred from their zoned schools to other schools both in and out of their county during the 2023-24 school year. Over the last few years, state lawmakers have expanded students’ ability to transfer for education and sports, giving schools limited reasons to deny requests. West Virginia […]

There were 21 states where a majority of tenant households spent 30% or more of their incomes on rent and utilities last year, compared with just seven states in 2019. Nationwide, about 22 million renters are shouldering that percentage. Anyone paying more than 30% is considered “cost burdened,” according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban […]

Are you registered to vote? A West Virginia coalition wants to make sure everyone knows the answer to that question sooner rather than later. West Virginians for Clean Elections, a nonpartisan coalition led by Citizen Action Group, has mailed notices to thousands of residents whose voter’s registration has been removed because of inactivity.  “We don’t […]

Inflation hit a three-year low last month, just as the presidential election is heating up. But the high cost of housing and other necessities will keep the economy central to both of the major campaigns, as seen this week in the first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The Consumer Price Index, a measure […]

The West Virginia First Foundation has entered into a partnership with West Virginia University and Ascend West Virginia — which was launched during the pandemic through a financial gift from a sitting First Foundation board member — to open outreach offices in five cities and towns throughout the state, according to a Thursday news release. […]

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Williams on Thursday challenged Republican opponent Patrick Morrisey to debate “the issues facing West Virginia voters.” “West Virginians deserve a leader who isn’t afraid to answer tough questions,” Williams said in a news release.  In a statement Thursday afternoon, Morrisey’s campaign manager Jonathan Ewing indicated the Republican would be willing to […]

State education leaders said on Wednesday that students made progress in their math and English language arts proficiency during the 2023-24 school year.

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are hoping Gov. Jim Justice will give them the leverage to tackle numerous child care needs when they gavel in for a special session later this month. A glaring child care shortage coupled with funding issues for the state’s child care assistance program are at […]

Owen Driscoll, a 17-year-old senior at Rufus King International High School in Milwaukee, was skeptical about starting school after Labor Day this year, three weeks later than before. But he is beginning to see the advantages. “Last year when we were on the old schedule, we had a few heat days [off in August] because […]

In a speech sent to Al-Jazeera in 2004, Osama bin Laden revealed that a major goal in orchestrating the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 was “bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy.” While his economic mission successfully cost us over $8 trillion in our “War on Terror,” he was unlikely aware that the United […]

While supporters of Morgantown’s new camping ban targeting homeless people say one of its objectives is getting people into housing, homeless providers there say more investment is needed in order to meaningfully address the problem.  The new law prohibits camping on any public property — including streets, parks and trails — and prohibits storing personal […]

In the two years since the U.S. Supreme Court started allowing states — what has become almost half of the country — to ban all or most abortions, doctors continue to report that these laws have detrimentally changed their jobs and the quality of care they can provide pregnant patients. A research team led by […]

My grandmother Goldie died in 1984. Among other things, she had developed dementia and lived with us for several years when she could no longer take care of herself. It was hard seeing the effects of dementia ravaging her mind. Her peace. Her independence. Her very identity. I was  23 years old and it unsettled […]

Gov. Jim Justice will bring lawmakers back to the state Capitol starting Sept. 30 to consider his ideas for a 5% tax reduction and a state tax credit for some families paying for child care. The Republican governor announced the date on Monday but did not include a list of specific bills that lawmakers could […]

Mercedes Dodge was raised by first-generation immigrant parents from Peru in a modest home in a rural part of southeastern Texas, where there weren’t many health care providers. Sometimes they had to travel to Houston, over an hour and a half away, to get basic health care. Partly because of that experience, Dodge became a […]

As the West Virginia First Foundation initiates its first grant cycle over the next month, board members who approved the process on Thursday were clear: future grant cycles will be much different. Executive Director Jonathan Board said Thursday that efforts were moving forward with the creation of a request for proposals for a statewide needs […]

A U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative to feed hungry kids during the long summer months is mostly winding down, with advocates calling it a success despite some hiccups — and the federal government and many states are already working to bring the permanent program back in 2025. The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program — or […]

Kaitlin Persinger, who commuted from Barboursville to Charleston for work, couldn’t find child care for her son when she needed it, depending on her grandmother to help out. “Finding child care in that area and being able to get there in time to pick him up was something that I really struggled with,” she said. […]

The state Department of Health says it anticipates getting federal funding to purchase updated COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured people this fall after a program that provided them ended late last month. The federal Bridge Allocation Program, which last year provided the state with 13,766 free doses of COVID-19 vaccine for uninsured people, ended […]

State and local legislators in Tennessee and Pennsylvania are cracking down on the use of “license plate flippers,” devices that allow drivers to obscure or conceal their license plates at the press of a button. License plate flippers are commonly used for aesthetic purposes at auto shows, where they allow drivers to switch between custom […]