West Virginia’s food stamp recipients will have their full November benefits on their cards either today or first thing Friday, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said Thursday.

The Trump administration will release full benefits for most participants in the nation’s major federal nutrition program within 24 hours of the reopening of the federal government, a U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said Wednesday, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

A miner missing in a flooded West Virginia coal mine was found dead Thursday morning, according to Gov. Patrick Morrisey.

Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in to office Wednesday after a delay that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson attributed to the shutdown, but that critics allege was because the lawmaker pledged to be the deciding signature to release the Epstein files, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

The longest shutdown in U.S. history ended Wednesday night when President Donald Trump signed a spending package that reopens the government and funds most of it through January.

Lee Zeldin, administrator for the federal Environmental Protection Agency, came to West Virginia on Wednesday to learn more about the Mountain State, reports caitycoyne.bsky.social

The U.S. House plans to approve a stopgap spending bill Wednesday evening that will end the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown once President Donald Trump signs the legislation. westvirginiawatch.com/2025/11/12/r...

Gov. Patrick Morrisey has established a committee that will oversee putting a statue of West Virginia World War II hero Woody Williams at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

Rural leaders say the infusion of federal dollars is welcome — but isn’t enough to offset Medicaid cuts, reports @nhassanein.bsky.social.

U.S. House Democrats investigating the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein released emails Wednesday they say show President Donald Trump knew about the financier’s abuse of underage girls as far back as 2011, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

West Virginia public schools say they need around $252 million for school safety upgrades, including security cameras, weapon detection systems and resource officers, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

The U.S. Supreme Court has extended through Thursday a pause on lower courts’ orders that the Trump administration authorize a full month of benefits for a food assistance program that 1 in 8 Americans use to buy groceries, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

Payments for November for the nation’s main food assistance program have been delayed during the government shutdown, amid a confusing mess of contradicting guidance from the Trump administration and a flurry of court orders in two cases at every level of the federal judiciary.

Kentucky’s two U.S. senators sparred this week over the future of the country’s hemp industry — one arguing that a provision will close a problematic loophole and the other contending the language will regulate the industry “to death," reports @jennifershutt.bsky.social.

Attorneys representing a transgender student athlete in Harrison County, West Virginia have filed their argument in a U.S. Supreme Court challenge of a state law that prohibits her from participating in her school’s track program, reports @lorikerseywv.bsky.social.

COMMENTARY: As the year winds up, it is imperative that every West Virginian takes a close look at the challenges that we faced, that we endured and that seem to only escalate, with very little reversal, writes Kathleen M. Jacobs.

President Donald Trump is taking a harder line on international students, arguing that they are taking university spots from U.S. students, reports Jonathan Shorman.

Since last year, the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, has allowed homeless people to live in a wooded area along a trail — it’s been the only public property where it’s legal for homeless people to live after the city passed a camping ban. Next month that will change, reports Lori Kersey.

The Trump administration continued Monday to press the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn lower court decisions requiring the federal government pay for full SNAP benefits, even as Congress appeared to approach an end to the record-breaking government shutdown, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Richard Lindsay dismissed a lawsuit Monday that questioned whether Gov. Morrisey acted lawfully when he sent members of the West Virginia National Guard to Washington, D.C. earlier this year at the request of President Trump, reports @caitycoyne.bsky.social.

The U.S. Senate was on track to approve a stopgap spending bill Monday that will end the longest government shutdown in American history once the measure becomes law later this week, reports @jennifershutt.bsky.social.

Issues with outside vendors handling West Virginia’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are the hold up to thousands of residents getting their food stamps amount, while some other states have already begun distributing benefits, reports @amelianews.bsky.social.

President Trump announced Monday he pardoned his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and other people allegedly involved in the attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but the president's federal pardon does not shield from state charges, reports @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Monday it plans to remove warnings from hormone replacement therapy drugs that can be used to address symptoms of menopause, saying the statements are no longer needed, reports @jennifershutt.bsky.social.

A massive search operation is underway for a coal miner who was trapped after water flooded a Nicholas County, West Virginia mine over the weekend, reports Amelia Ferrell Knisely.

A new Trump administration rule issued late last month would override state laws that prevent consumers’ credit reports from including medical debt, potentially weakening financial protections for millions of Americans, reports @acvollers.bsky.social.

COMMENTARY: Just this month, the state agency that administers SNAP announced the implementation of new restrictions that are expected to take food assistance away from thousands of West Virginians — including older adults between 55-64, veterans, parents and former foster youth, writes Kelly Allen.

Following a late Friday emergency ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, the Trump administration has instructed states that authorized full November nutrition assistance benefits to return a portion, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

Walking along the downtowns of Thomas and Davis, West Virginia, over Halloween weekend, fake cobwebs and fall decorations were overshadowed by white and blue signs hanging in the windows of numerous businesses, all reading “No Data Center Complex in Tucker County.” @caitycoyne.bsky.social reports.

Seven U.S. Senate Democrats and one independent joined Republicans on Sunday night in advancing legislation to reopen the government and temporarily keep it afloat until the end of January, after a record-breaking shutdown that began Oct. 1, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

Last night, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court’s order that the Trump administration pay for a full month of SNAP benefits, hours after some states began loading nutrition assistance funds on payment cards, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court’s order that the Trump administration pay for a full month of food benefits, hours after some states began loading nutrition assistance funds on payment cards held by the 42 million Americans who use the program, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

The first flights affected by a new Federal Aviation Administration directive led to widespread delays and cancellations Friday, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

We’re live! Tune into our new weekly podcast, Stories From The States. In our first episode, host @fitzsimon.bsky.social talks about federal cuts that are jeopardizing Medicaid coverage. www.newsfromthestates.com/podcast/stor... #FairFearlessFree #LocalJournalism

Senators on Friday said they plan to remain in town for the weekend, a sign negotiations may be picking up to approve a stopgap spending measure and end the government shutdown, now at day 38, reports @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture told states Friday it was releasing full November funding for the nation’s major food assistance program that helps 42 million people afford groceries, complying with a federal court order issued Thursday, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

COMMENTARY: West Virginia's foster care system is already breaking under caseworker shortages, heavy caseloads and recent budget cuts. More than 6,000 children remain in state custody — a figure that would overwhelm even a healthy system, writes Timothy R. Patrick.

Despite concerns about attempted historical erasure at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park due to new Trump administration policies being unfounded, some historians worry other attempts across the country may have a detrimental impact on historical preservation, reports Rebecca Hempleman.

A new program at Shepherd University aims to help beginning farmers in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. The school’s Agricultural Small Business Incubator program is now accepting applicants for the 2026 growing season, reports Lori Kersey.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to continue carrying out, for now, its policy requiring that passports only list a person’s sex assigned at birth, reports Shauneen Miranda.

A vote to stop President Donald Trump’s deadly strikes on alleged drug-running boats off the coast of Venezuela failed Thursday in the U.S. Senate, nearly mirroring the outcome of a similar war powers vote last month, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

Senate Democrats left their Thursday caucus lunch tight-lipped as an agreement to end the government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history at 37 days, remained elusive, reports @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social and @ashleymurray.bsky.social.

The 40 airports set to see a 10% reduction in flights during the government shutdown nearly matched the list of the nation’s busiest airports, potentially leading to thousands of flight cancellations across the country, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

All 50 states have applied for the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program in Republicans’ “big, beautiful” law, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday, reports Shauneen Miranda.

West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has sent another $2.5 million to state food banks, which are seeing increased need as the federal government shutdown continues to delay SNAP benefits.

Young homebuyers have been priced out of the market even more than previously, according to a report released Nov. 4 by the National Association of Realtors, reports Tim Henderson.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will reduce the largest monthly food assistance payments by about 35% in November, a smaller decrease than the department initially estimated, according to a court filing late Wednesday, reports @fischler.bsky.social.

U.S. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who made history as the first woman to hold the speaker's gavel, announced Thursday she will retire, ending a 40-year legislative career as one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress, reports @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social.

COMMENTARY: The social safety net, including health care and food benefits, has been under attack this year, threatening the stability for millions of Americans, and hundreds of thousands in West Virginia, writes Quenton King.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday the Federal Aviation Administration would restrict air travel in 40 “high-traffic” areas of the country to relieve pressure on air traffic controllers who have been working without a paycheck since Oct. 1, reports @fischler.bsky.social.