Alex Mayer, 37, says it will be a ‘long road’ to fix the overwhelmed child welfare system. He brings a ‘passion for helping’ to the job, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The state school board is taking time to consider how it will move forward with Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s executive order to allow religious exemptions to vaccination requirements.

Today is my two-year anniversary at @statesnewsroom.com. I love working for this company full of amazing, smart, talented and kind people. Every day I feel so lucky to get to work with @lorikerseywv.bsky.social, @amelianews.bsky.social and @caitycoyne.bsky.social.

The U.S. House panel in charge of overhauling Medicaid by cutting hundreds of billions in federal spending wrapped up debate on its bill Wednesday, following a 25-hour session, reports @jennifershutt.bsky.social.

So grateful to do this work alongside my newsroom of great women. I will always fight for WV kids.

West Virginia Watch reporter wins a Dan Rather Medal for her foster care reporting westvirginiawatch.com/briefs/west-... Kudos to my WV colleague whose work I deeply respect. #journalism #304 #WV #childwelfare @amelianews.bsky.social

The West Virginia Board of Education will pursue litigation over a recently-passed bill that gives lawmakers the ultimate authority over school board policies, reports @amelianews.bsky.social. buff.ly/1ch7GLJ

ICYMI: Gov. Patrick Morrisey has signed dozens of Republican-backed bills into law, including measures officially eliminating the state’s Office of Equal Opportunity and rolling back work permit requirements for some teenagers, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Residents — many of whom are elderly — are waiting for help. They need federal aid. A stove. Volunteers to help them clear the thick mud from their basements. @amelianews.bsky.social westvirginiawatch.com/2025/04/23/m...

New: In McDowell County, carpet is still wet. Basements are full of mud. The mold is setting in. Nine weeks after flooding, residents feel forgotten by state leaders and federal programs. There aren't nearly enough volunteers. McDowell needs help. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/04/23/m...

Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a bill on Monday codifying a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” for West Virginians, reports @amelianews.bsky.social. The bill excludes a parents’ right to access an abortion if their child is pregnant. buff.ly/4wGK1Ea

Lawmakers have approved nearly eliminating gender-affirming care for children in West Virginia, removing a narrow exemption in current state law that allows minors at risk for suicide to access hormone therapy and other medications, reports @amelianews.bsky.social. buff.ly/ecZeleh

Lawmakers have signed off on doing away with the West Virginia Office of Equal Opportunity, opting to keep the office’s director role within a state agency that will be tasked with protecting state employees from discrimination, reports @amelianews.bsky.social. buff.ly/8pnTibi

West Virginia lawmakers approved a bill making it optional for providers to treat newborns' eyes with an ointment that can protect them from pink eye and blindness, @amelianews.bsky.social reports. www.newsfromthestates.com/article/doct...

The Republican-led House of Delegates approved $97 million in funding for the Hope Scholarship, but not before numerous lawmakers rose to question the rapidly increasing price tag of the state’s education voucher program, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Newborns in West Virginia automatically receive eye ointment after birth to prevent medical pink eye, which can cause blindness. A bill approved by the Senate and House of Delegates repeals that medical mandate, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

On Saturday, more than 1,200 Hands Off rallies were held across the nation to protest the actions of the Trump administration. Check out photos from the Charleston rally.

A Senate bill would do away with the Office of Equal Opportunity, saying its functions are being carried out by another state agency. But the office no longer has any employees or a website, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Delegates are in line to pass legislation that would lay out how to handle what would happen if a West Virginia county were in catastrophic financial condition.

Family members caring for aging parents, spouses, veterans and others in West Virginia would be eligible for a tax credit, according to a bill in the Senate, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

I worked on this story for 3+ months — hope you’ll read it!

At the urging of the Secretary of State, West Virginia could tighten laws on acceptable forms of photo identification that can be used at polling places, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The West Virginia House of Delegates is considering a bill that would allow the Legislature to write its own rules for disclosing public records, but House Speaker Roger Hanshaw said the intent is not to hide records, reports @amelianews.bsky.social & @lorikerseywv.bsky.social.

Grappling with a troubled foster care system, the House passed a bill on Wednesday some lawmakers say will minimize children bouncing from home to home. As part of the measure, the state could more quickly terminate parental rights, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed a bill that will ban a list of artificial food dyes from being included in food items sold in grocery stores or in school lunches, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

New: WVU would be required to operate a civics learning center focused on teaching constitutional studies and “great debates of Western civilization” overseen by a governor’s appointee, according to a bill approved by the House. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/03/24/w...

A Senate bill that aims to prevent abuse of minors in West Virginia’s residential treatment programs has backing from Paris Hilton, who sent a letter to state lawmakers urging them to pass the legislation, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Teacher pay raises would be determined by median home prices in their county, according to a bill being considered by the West Virginia Senate. Some educators in wealthier counties could see a massive pay bump, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

House of Delegates members want the state to build at least two centers that could briefly house foster children when there’s no home or facility available, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

WV Republicans, who won nearly every election in 2024, are focused on “election integrity” this session. Democratic lawmakers say the bills, including absentee ballot restrictions, are motivated by conspiracy theories. New from @lorikerseywv.bsky.social and me westvirginiawatch.com/2025/03/18/w...

The state’s Republican-dominant Senate approved a measure that would require judicial elections to become partisan races, with the bill sponsor saying West Virginians are “concerned about liberal judges slipping through the cracks," reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Lobbyists for the food and beverage industry are fighting a bill that would ban synthetic dyes in food, paying thousands of dollars for ads that say it will drive up food prices and result in empty grocery store shelves, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The West Virginia Senate unanimously signed off on a high-profile education bill that would give elementary teachers more authority to remove disruptive or violent students from their classroom, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The new leader of the state’s Department of Human Services, standing in front of state Senators Monday, vowed changes to West Virginia’s troubled foster care system while children continue to live in hotels and on campgrounds, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

ICYMI: A bill advancing in the Senate would reinstate the death penalty in West Virginia for individuals who are sentenced for intentionally killing a law-enforcement officer or first responder in the line of duty, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The West Virginia Senate passed two bills Thursday focused on transgender youth as the Republican-led body has prioritized bills related to biological sex, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

A bill advancing in the Senate would reinstate the death penalty in West Virginia for individuals who are sentenced for intentionally killing a law-enforcement officer or first responder in the line of duty, reports @amelianews.bsky.social. buff.ly/ESEl7WV

The Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill banning synthetic dyes in food after Republican lawmakers stressed that it would make food healthier for West Virginians, who have some of the worst health outcomes in the country, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

New: As abortion is almost completely banned in West Virginia, Democrats in the Senate and House of Delegates will try again to let voters decide whether to reinstate abortion rights. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/03/04/d...

The West Virginia House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved a bill Monday that would give elementary teachers more authority to remove disruptive and violent students, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Senate Minority Leader Mike Woelfel, one of two Democrats in the Senate, is calling out Gov. Patrick Morrisey, claiming the governor is telling Republican Senators to vote down any amendments sponsored by Democrats, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

ICYMI: Teachers would be mandated to tell parents when a child requests to be referred to by a different name or pronouns that are different from the student’s biological sex, according to a bill advancing in the West Virginia Senate, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

Federal judge dismisses lawsuit meant to improve WV’s troubled foster care system, problems persist, @amelianews.bsky.social reports

West Virginia lawmakers are trying again this year to address worsening elementary student behavior that has interrupted classroom instruction time and put some teachers in danger, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

New from me >> Skyrocketing price of Hope Scholarship — a centerpiece of Republicans’ school choice push — now around $100M, a concern for WV lawmakers making budget. It’s Gov. Morrisey’s largest funding increase request. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/26/s...

New: House Republicans will try again to help teachers remove violent elementary students — but the bill still doesn’t include help for kids’ mental health or funding. And fewer than half of counties have alternative learning centers for removed kids. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/24/w...

West Virginia native loses dream job during National Park Service terminations as part of a Trump administration plan to downsize federal spending More good reporting from @lorikerseywv.bsky.social westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/24/w...

“The press and all people in the United States have the right to choose their own words and not be retaliated against by the government,” the AP said in its lawsuit. apnews.com/article/ap-l...

AP sues Trump White House, alleging ban on its journalists at major events amounts to unconstitutional retaliation by the federal government for free speech. White House spox: AP's leaders have "rotted... peanut-sized brains" My updated story for NPR: www.npr.org/2025/02/21/n...

“A sad day for West Virginia” — School nurses worry about disease spread if childhood vaccine bill becomes law Great reporting from @lorikerseywv.bsky.social westvirginiawatch.com/2025/02/21/a...