People at pharmacies have been told they needed prescriptions for COVID-19 boosters. A federal health committee voted to remove that requirement, but cases are already rising. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/25/v...

NEW: While COVID cases increased, West Virginians couldn’t get vaccines as Kennedy’s CDC delayed guidance mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/25/v...

For years, lawmakers have searched for different ways to address West Virginia’s child care crisis. A new pilot program could help if it receives a permanent funding source from the state. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/21/c...

West Virginia’s new tri-share program for child care is set to end next August, but it needs more state funding to expand. So far, it’s helping dozens of parents afford child care costs. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/21/c...

Child care remains one of the state’s largest barriers to working West Virginians. It’s expensive and hard to find. A new pilot program set to expire next year could help. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/21/c...

Some 25,000 children in West Virginia don’t have access to child care, impacting the state’s workforce. A new pilot program is working to bridge the gap. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/21/c...

West Virginians need help affording child care costs. A new pilot program is splitting costs between employers and the state. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/18/d...

NEW: The cost of child care is hurting working West Virginians. A new program aims to help if lawmakers will fund it. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/18/d...

Following the 2014 Elk River chemical spill that left hundreds of thousands without clean water, West Virginia lawmakers unanimously passed a law to prevent a similar situation. But in the years since, some of those protections have been chipped away.

Diversified Energy Company asked lawmakers to exempt oil and gas tanks from the Aboveground Storage Tank Act, which was passed in response to the Elk River spill. It originally regulated 42,000 tanks. Today, it only covers about 4,500.

The Aboveground Storage Tank Act was passed in 2014 in response to the Elk River spill and regulated the roughly 42,000 tanks in West Virginia. Today, the act covers about 4,500 tanks in the state. Diversified Energy wants to roll it back even further.

The largest gas and oil well owner in the country asked lawmakers to roll back water protections enacted in response to the 2014 Elk River chemical spill, citing increased costs and delays.

Patients at Lakin Hospital were accused of crimes but too mentally ill to be found guilty. Now that a private company has purchased the home, nurse Mary Stein-Johnson worries they won’t accept patients and they’ll end up in prisons or on the streets. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

Today marks 5 years of Mountain State Spotlight! 🥳 Help us celebrate by donating: mountainstatespotlight.fundjournalism.org/donate/?camp...

NEW: Nation’s largest gas well owner asks West Virginia lawmakers to weaken water protections mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/18/d...

Here’s something to celebrate: We turn 5 tomorrow! 🎂 If you believe that nonprofit investigative journalism makes West Virginia a better place, you’re invited to join the party by making a donation today!

Tuberculosis. Black lung. Mine disasters. Mental illness. Hopemont Hospital, Jackie Withrow, John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center and Lakin Hospital evolved over a century to meet pressing health needs. Last month, they were sold to a private buyer. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

Loved ones of residents at state-run nursing homes say nurses there treat them like family. And while the company purchasing the facilities says it won’t lay off nurses, it has a history of employing fewer staff members in other states. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

🎂 This week, Mountain State Spotlight celebrates 5 years of independent, reader-supported journalism! Help us get to 6 years by donating today: 🎁

Now nursing homes, Hopemont Hospital and Jackie Withrow treated people with tuberculosis. John Manchin Sr. Health Care Center was a Miners Hospital. Family and staff worry it will be the end of a century of safety net care in the state. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

The company purchasing West Virginia’s four state-run nursing homes says it won’t cut staff to save money. But in other states, Majestic Care has a track record of lower nursing staffing levels. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

NEW: Majestic Care's hospitals employ fewer staff than the state-owned hospitals it bought. The sale has families of residents worried. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/16/w...

Last month, the DEP approved a request to expand mining operations in the Indian Creek area of Wyoming County. But residents in the community have long said a coal mine is contaminating their creek. 🧵 mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/10/w...

ICYMI: Amid federal scrutiny and a class action lawsuit, West Virginia has argued the state is making progress getting foster kids out of institutional settings. A Mountain State Spotlight analysis shows that’s not the case for kids with disabilities. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/01/28/f...

Mountain State Spotlight is pleased to welcome Nicole Blevins to the reporting team for 10 weeks this fall! mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/10/m...

For years, Wyoming County residents have blamed a coal mine for contaminating their water. Now, they’re worried it’ll get worse after state regulators approved more mining nearby. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/10/w...

We published corrections today on two stories about Gov. Morrisey’s broadband plan, fixing errors in our reporting about the numbers and types of locations served. We got some things wrong, and regret that, and want to be sure readers see the corrected stories / 1

Despite praising the Trump administration, Gov. Morrisey said state officials “don’t get to write all the rules” regarding the $1.2 billion broadband program. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/09/m...

NEW: Wyoming County residents say a coal mine contaminated their creek. State regulators just approved more mining. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/10/w...

Gov. Morrisey blamed the Trump administration for the changes to the state’s broadband proposal, which will leave out 40,000 households. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/09/m...

Majestic Care is in the early stages of figuring out how many state-owned nursing facilities need to be rebuilt in West Virginia. “Where? What does it look like? That we have to figure out.” CEO Paul Pruitt mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/07/m...

Gov. Morrisey said state broadband officials are using leftover ARPA funds to connect the thousands of WV homes left out of a federal broadband program. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/09/m...

NEW: Morrisey blames Trump administration for excluding 40,000 homes from broadband plan mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/09/m...

State nursing facilities being sold to a private company, Majestic Care, are in Marion, Raleigh, Preston and Mason counties. Where to rebuild will depend on factors like cost and acreage. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/07/m...

For the third time in as many decades, the state board of education took over Mingo County schools. It’s one of six counties currently under state control. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

Paul Pruitt, CEO of the company purchasing WV state-owned nursing homes, says the company will continue to take poor residents with worse health problems, although they’ll first have to make sure staff have proper training.

Since Gov. Morrisey announced the sale of four state-owned nursing facilities, West Virginians have asked what will happen to the current employees. The CEO of Majestic Care said employees will be offered jobs, but positions could change over time.

The West Virginia Board of Education already controlled Upshur and Logan counties, took over Mingo, Tyler, Nicholas and Boone counties in recent months and warned Roane and Randolph counties that they could be next. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

NEW: Q&A: CEO of new nursing home operator says care for high-need West Virginians will continue, hints at staffing, building changes mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/07/m...

West Virginia law gives the state board of education broad authority to take over local school systems when delay “would not be in the best interests of the students.” In recent takeovers, the board has cited administrative and financial reasons. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

Here’s how school takeovers work and what they mean for parents, students and staff. 🏫 mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

The West Virginia Board of Education has taken over six local school districts, citing administrative and financial mismanagement. The move strips local school boards of decision-making power. Here’s what that means. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

The state board of education is changing things in eight counties where they’ve taken control or given local leaders until the end of the year to correct financial issues. Here’s how the school takeover process works and what it means for students.

NEW: West Virginia is taking control of more local school systems. Here’s what it means for students. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/09/04/w...

As West Virginian communities continue to experience devastating floods, the state’s updated plan to mitigate damage from such disasters remains largely unimplemented. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/08/29/f...

After the deadly 2016 floods, West Virginia lawmakers created an office responsible to mitigate future damage from similar disasters. But it has remained under-resourced since it was created.

State broadband officials plan to spend half of the allotted $1.2 billion in broadband funds to connect homes with fiber-optic and satellite internet. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/08/28/b...

In 2004, a collection of agencies created a state flood protection plan, but it was never implemented. In 2016, the record-breaking floods renewed efforts by lawmakers to revisit the state’s plan. Nearly a decade later the updated plan remains unfunded.

‘Plans without resources are a fantasy’: the office tasked with mitigating the damage from flood events still has no money to implement the state’s updated flood protection plan.

The new plan will connect 40,000 fewer homes and businesses in West Virginia, while handing millions of dollars to Starlink. mountainstatespotlight.org/2025/08/28/b...