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Monday, March 18, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

West Virginia

Across the country, most states offer 26 weeks of unemployment insurance contingent upon the laid-off worker demonstrating their continued eligibility, according to the West Virginia Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)
Critics: Changes in WV unemployment benefits will harm families amid inflation

Critics say a bill passed by West Virginia lawmakers increases the bureaucratic red tape folks who rely on unemployment benefits have to navigate and …

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Nationwide, nearly four in 10 state prisoners and three in 10 federal prisoners reported having a disability, compared to 15% of the general population, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock/generated with AI)
People with disabilities over-represented in justice system

Nationwide, people with disabilities are overrepresented both as victims of crime and those who are accused of crimes, and advocates believe the …

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According to the U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia has more than 15,000 acres of state-owned lands. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Concerns voiced about language in WV forest management bill

The West Virginia Senate has passed a bill to allow private forest fire management on state lands but environmental groups said they are concerned its…

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More than two dozen states have legalized the sale of raw, unpasteurized milk, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)<br />
West Virginia House lawmakers pass bill expanding sales of raw milk

West Virginia House delegates passed a bill this week that would allow raw milk products from farmers to be sold directly to consumers. Maria Moles…

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The New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia. In 2023, the U.S. Forest Service and AmeriCorps signed a five-year agreement to establish the Forest Corps, to create job opportunities that reduce wildfire risk, support reforestation and make national forests and grasslands healthier and more resilient. (Adobe Stock)
American Climate Corps: Building more climate-resilient WV communities

A Biden administration program, the American Climate Corps, aims to hire and train 20,000 people in conservation, climate and clean energy jobs…

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Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va (far left), and other lawmakers join President Joe Biden as he signs the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Aug. 16, 2022. (Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm/Wikimedia Commons)
Super PAC spending in WV Senate race ramps up as Manchin bows out

By Harshawn Ratanpal for OpenSecrets.Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan for West Virginia News Service reporting for the OpenSecrets-Public News Serv…

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Federal data show millions of people live in counties lacking adequate air monitoring, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)<br />
WV bill threatens community air monitoring efforts

After West Virginia House lawmakers advanced a bill to ban residents from using citizen air monitoring data in lawsuits, community groups said they …

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A survey conducted by Swiftly found 60% of Americans say they're currently struggling to pay for their groceries. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Report: West Virginians’ budgets shrink while corporations rake in profits

As the nation's largest corporations see their profits surge, more West Virginians are relying on assistance to meet basic needs as their spending …

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In 2021, approximately 368 stream miles throughout West Virginia and Virginia were designated as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the endangered candy darter. (Adobe Stock)
WV groups sue Forest Service over Cherry River watershed protections

West Virginia environmental groups have sued the Forest Service for failing to protect streams in the Cherry River watershed from the impacts of coal …

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Nationwide, in the second quarter of 2022, residential solar set its fifth consecutive quarterly growth record, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. (Adobe Stock)
Pressure mounts on WV’s utility regulator to preserve solar net-metering

Residents and advocacy groups will rally in Charleston this Saturday to protect net-metering for solar customers. Two of West Virginia's major …

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The Federal Highway Administration estimates there are 1 million to 2 million accidents involving vehicles and large animals every year in the United States. (Adobe Stock)
WV leads nation in wildlife collisions; federal funding could lower the odds

West Virginia ranks number one in the nation for wildlife/vehicle collisions, with residents having a one-in-37 chance of hitting an animal in a …

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Appalachia is home to 26.3 million people and covers 206,000 square miles, encompassing 423 counties in 13 states, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission. (Adobe Stock)
Clean-energy sector manufacturing may jumpstart West Virginia’s economy

Manufacturers in West Virginia employ around 7% of the state's workforce, and advocates say the state's Appalachian region could bolster its economy …

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