West Virginia Watch
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From hijacked freight shipments to tampered gift cards hanging on store racks, states are responding to new forms of organized retail crime with a fresh round of legislation, reports @amandavhernan.bsky.social.
States expand fight against organized retail crime, gift card fraud
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ICYMI: Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that he will be taking a brief listening tour around the state’s southern coalfields to hear about the persistent water issues residents in the region face, reports @caitycoyne.bsky.social.
After years of pleas to address water crisis, Morrisey begins two-day Southern WV listening tour • West Virginia Watch
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that he will be taking a brief listening tour to hear about the persistent water issues residents face.
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The U.S. House Ethics Committee announced Tuesday that it will review allegations that Republican Rep. Max Miller of Ohio may have “engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use," reports Sam Gauntt.
US House Ethics starts probe of abuse allegations against Ohio Rep. Max Miller at his request • West Virginia Watch
The U.S. House Ethics Committee announced that it will review allegations against Republican Rep. Max Miller of Ohio.
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WASHINGTON — The stopgap spending bill supported by an overwhelming majority of U.S. senators does not address tens of billions in expiring transportation funding, leaving states facing a massive effective budget cut starting Oct. 1, reports Jacob Fischler.
US Senate stopgap fails to renew more than $38B a year in state transportation funding • West Virginia Watch
The stopgap spending bill supported by an overwhelming majority of U.S. senators does not address tens of billions in expiring transportation funding.
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U.S. Senate Democrats on Tuesday rebuked the Department of Education’s efforts to transfer its special education programs and civil rights enforcement to other agencies, reports Shauneen Miranda.
Dems continue to hammer Trump Education Department transfers • West Virginia Watch
Senate Democrats rebuked the Department of Education’s efforts to transfer its special education programs and civil rights enforcement to other agencies.
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Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday that he will be taking a brief listening tour around the state’s southern coalfields to hear about the persistent water issues residents in the region face, reports @caitycoyne.bsky.social.
After years of pleas to address water crisis, Morrisey begins two-day Southern WV listening tour • West Virginia Watch
Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced that he will be taking a brief listening tour to hear about the persistent water issues residents face.
westvirginiawatch.com
Elliott Pritt withdraws from House ballot; law prohibits GOP to fill vacancy for November election, @amelianews.bsky.social reports westvirginiawatch.com/2026/08/04/e...
Elliott Pritt withdraws from House ballot; law prohibits GOP to fill vacancy for November election • West Virginia Watch
Elliott Pritt, disgraced former Republican House member arrested last month, withdrew his name from the ballot for the November election. He was seeking reelection to the House of Delegates in…
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U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was one step closer to permanently leading the Justice Department Tuesday, after two skeptical Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans voted to advance his nomination, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.
Blanche nomination for attorney general advanced by US Senate panel on party-line vote • West Virginia Watch
U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche was one step closer to permanently leading the Justice Department Tuesday.
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The federal government has signed off on disaster assistance to two West Virginia counties hit hard by last month’s deadly storms and flooding, reports @lorikerseywv.bsky.social.
Trump administration approves disaster assistance for Upshur, Lewis counties • West Virginia Watch
The federal government has signed off on disaster assistance to two West Virginia counties hit hard by last month’s deadly flooding.
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More than 9,000 children in foster care had to temporarily stay in hotels, office buildings and other potentially unsafe settings when states couldn’t find suitable places for them, according to a new federal audit, reports Robbie Sequeira of @stateline.org.
Most states temporarily house foster children in hotels, offices
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COMMENTARY: We must not stick our heads in the sand and continue with a Dickensian free enterprise system; the uninsured sick be damned. Elected officials clearly do not want to talk about the elephant in the room — health insurance coverage trends, writes Jack Bernard.
Medicare for All and West Virginia
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States do not have time before November’s midterm elections to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order mandating overhauls of their mail-in-voting systems, two dozen Democratic state officials told the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, reports @fischler.bsky.social.
Democratic state officials urge US Supreme Court to affirm pause on Trump vote-by-mail order • West Virginia Watch
States do not have time before November’s elections to comply with Trump’s executive order mandating overhauls of mail-in-voting systems.
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More than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children Monday lost their legal representation because the Trump administration has not entered into a new agreement to take over their legal services after it let a longstanding contract with a nonprofit expire, reports @arianalfigueroa.bsky.social.
Legal services contract expires, and unaccompanied immigrant children face deportation • West Virginia Watch
More than 20,000 unaccompanied immigrant children Monday lost their legal representation because of the Trump administration.
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Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, on Sunday said Rep. Max Miller, also of Ohio and his former son-in-law, is not fit to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives as he faces allegations of domestic abuse from his ex-wife, who is Moreno’s daughter, reports Sam Gauntt.
Ohio US Sen. Moreno says former son-in-law Rep. Max Miller unfit to serve in Congress • West Virginia Watch
Sen. Bernie Moreno said Rep. Max Miller, his former son-in-law, is not fit to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives as he faces allegations of domestic abuse.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general appeared on track Monday after he submitted a written assurance to Senate Judiciary Committee lawmakers that the administration’s nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund is dead, reports @ashleymurray.bsky.social.
Blanche asserts 'anti-weaponization' fund is dead, wins key GOP support in US Senate • West Virginia Watch
Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general appeared on track after he submitted a written assurance that the “anti-weaponization” fund is dead.
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Leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee announced a bipartisan deal over the weekend that would keep the federal government funded through Dec. 11 and pause the Trump administration’s effort to add controversial new criteria for federal grants, reports @fischler.bsky.social.
Spending deal freezes Trump proposal to gain power over federal grants, extends highway law • West Virginia Watch
Leaders of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee announced a deal that would keep the federal government funded through Dec. 11.
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Boone County Republican Del. Josh Holstein will lead the state party for four more years. The executive committee of the West Virginia GOP met Saturday for its summer meeting and unanimously reelected Holstein, reports @lorikerseywv.bsky.social.
West Virginia GOP elects Holstein to four-year term as chair • West Virginia Watch
The executive committee of the West Virginia GOP unanimously reelected Boone County Republican Del. Josh Holstein to lead the party.
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National Weather Service says nine tornadoes hit WV last week
National Weather Service says nine tornadoes hit WV last week • West Virginia Watch
The National Weather Services has now confirmed that nine tornadoes touched down in West Virginia during the storms on July 21 and 22.The Weather Service’s office in Charleston confirmed six within…
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Trump administration rules out mass ICE enforcement at the polls in midterms
Trump administration rules out mass ICE enforcement at the polls in midterms • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is not planning an aggressive campaign at voting sites during the upcoming midterm elections, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday…
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3 Republicans break with Trump in US Senate vote to block war in Iran
3 Republicans break with Trump in US Senate vote to block war in Iran • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — For the second time in as many weeks, a War Powers Resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s war with Iran failed to pass the U.S. Senate Thursday.
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Kanawha County Commission wants more information as WV DEP considers permit for Clean Seas westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/31/k...
Kanawha County Commission wants more information as WV DEP considers permit for Clean Seas • West Virginia Watch
Members of the Kanawha County Commission sent a letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection this week urging it to refrain from issuing an air quality permit for a proposed “advanced…
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Trump defends massive settlement for ‘great American Patriots’ of Jan. 6, attacks GOP senators westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/31/r...
Trump defends massive settlement for ‘great American Patriots’ of Jan. 6, attacks GOP senators • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump defended his highly criticized, nearly $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” settlement fund on social media and in a Cabinet meeting Friday, as two key Republican…
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Key legal resource for immigrant kids to expire with federal contract, advocates say westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/31/r...
Key legal resource for immigrant kids to expire with federal contract, advocates say • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — Bryan Chavez knows that having access to legal representation as an unaccompanied minor can be a lifeline.In 2017, immigration officials separated him from his mother and brother at the…
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Trump says he might pull Blanche nomination for AG until GOP holdouts leave office
Trump says he might pull Blanche nomination for AG until GOP holdouts leave office • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to pull acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s nomination to lead the Justice Department until two Republican holdouts, Sens. Thom Tillis of…
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US Senate panel advances bill to reject Education Department transfers westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/31/r...
US Senate panel advances bill to reject Education Department transfers • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — A bipartisan effort to rein in President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education has cleared its first major legislative hurdle in a bipartisan U.S. Senate…
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String of outbreaks tests US public health system amid funding cuts, vaccine resistance
String of outbreaks tests US public health system amid funding cuts, vaccine resistance • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged during his confirmation hearing to do everything in his “power to put the health of America back on track.”
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Commentary from Paula Kaufman: Every state, including West Virginia, should ban child marriage to protect girls from harm
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‘Where’s he at?’ WV flood survivor says government should do more to help, @lorikerseywv.bsky.social reports
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Trump looks to veterans to fill trucking jobs after booting immigrants from industry westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/30/r...
Trump looks to veterans to fill trucking jobs after booting immigrants from industry • West Virginia Watch
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced an initiative Thursday for veterans to quickly obtain commercial driver’s licenses, as the administration attempts to fill vacancies in the industry after...
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WV Treasurer Pack says it’s ‘unacceptable’ clothing voucher closed amid $370M surplus, @amelianews.bsky.social reports westvirginiawatch.com/2026/07/30/w...
WV Treasurer Pack says it’s ‘unacceptable’ clothing voucher closed amid $370M surplus • West Virginia Watch
State Treasurer Larry Pack says it’s “unconscionable” that West Virginia's school clothing assistance program for low-income children has already stopped taking applications due to a funding…
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