Transgender politics, measles, new EPA rules on power plants and a cold case resolved - a busy news week in West Virginia
The WV Weakly Review for Saturday, April 27, 2024
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Given what you just read, this won’t come as a surprise — today’s newsletter is taking a different form. Rather than attempting to amuse you with a trip to a ramp dinner, we decided to simply stick with the ‘Weakly Review’ to see how that works. Our sources are cited in the footnotes.
The WV Weakly Review
This week was a busy one.
It started with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s Monday morning endorsement announcement and almost immediately progressed to word of the first case of measles detected in West Virginia since 2009 before turning to unanswered questions about the death of an emaciated 14-year-old Boone County girl and the resolution of a more than 20-year-old cold case in Raleigh County, the details of which made my skin crawl. Along the way, state Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor, Patrick Morrisey, made a big deal out of West Virginia’s transgender sports law. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case out of Oregon that could affect how cities such as Wheeling address homelessness and top state politicos are once again mad at the Biden administration over new rules affecting power plants.
Got all that?
If not, don’t worry. We’re here to catch you up.
Here’s your Weakly Review:
☑️ Outgoing U.S. Senator Joe Manchin has endorsed Glenn Elliot. He kicked off the week with his Monday morning release of a video unveiled by the Elliott campaign.1 Elliott is the Democratic mayor of Wheeling who is running for Manchin’s Senate seat. He is facing the controversial former coal company CEO Don Blankenship and Marine Corps veteran Zach Shrewsbury for the Democratic nomination. The winner of the May 14th primary will likely face Jim Justice, West Virginia’s popular two-time Republican governor. Polls show Justice with a significant lead over his GOP competitors, including Congressman Alex Mooney.
🩺 State Health officials are conducting contact tracing following word on Monday that an adult in Monongalia County tested positive for measles — the first case of the illness detected in West Virginia in 15 years. The state Health Department says the patient had traveled overseas and was “undervaccinated.”2 According to a Health Department statement released Friday morning,3 officials have so far learned of 152 people who were potentially exposed. They include 128 West Virginians from 30 counties and 24 out-of-state contacts from four neighboring states. Health officials say 62 lack documentation of adequate protection against measles and are considered high risk. This measles scare comes after the West Virginia Legislature tried to loosen vaccine requirements for students. Governor Justice broke with the legislature and vetoed the bill late last month.
📰 Reporter Amelia Ferrell Knisely of West Virginia Watch described Monday’s press release4 from the state Department of Human Services as having the “vibe of don’t expect any records from us related to the child death in Boone.”5 She and other West Virginia reporters are seeking more information about the actions of Child Protective Services in the case of the 14-year-old girl found dead in a Boone County home.6 Authorities say the girl was found in an “emaciated and skeletal state.” On Tuesday, Governor Justice said CPS had “no idea” about the girl’s situation.7
🏦 Speaking of Governor Justice, the Federal Election Commission has questions. The FEC wants to know about debts his campaign for Joe Manchin’s Senate seat owes to the Justice family’s Greenbrier Hotel Corp, which is facing millions in tax liens issued by the state Tax Department.8 Also, there’s been some movement, so to speak, in the $1 billion lawsuit the Justice family of companies have filed against their longtime banker, Carter Bank & Trust of Martinsville, VA. Federal Judge Frank Volk of the Southern District of West Virginia filed an order this week moving the suit to the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke. The Justice businesses argued against the move.9
⚖️ The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to issue its opinion this summer in a key case that could affect how cities such as Wheeling address homeless encampments on public property. The court heard arguments on Monday in a case stemming from ordinances in the small Oregon town of Grants Pass that advocates say criminalizes sleeping in public spaces.10 The issue flared up in West Virginia in January when the city of Wheeling began enforcing a similar camping ban.
⚖️ State Attorney General and Republican candidate for governor Patrick Morrisey is planning to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a transgender athlete case.11 Last week, the federal appeals court in Richmond, VA said West Virginia’s ban on transgender girls participation on girls sports teams does not apply in the case of a 13-year-old middle schooler who has identified as a girl since third grade and takes puberty-blocking medication.12 Morrisey is seeking to overturn that ruling. He made the announcement at the Capitol Wednesday afternoon. Not for nothing, he’s been facing attacks on transgender issues, notably from Chris Miller, one of his rivals in the May 14th primary for the GOP nomination for governor.
🚔 A more than 20-year-old cold case was resolved this week. Authorities in Beckley recovered the remains of a mother and her ten-year-old daughter buried in the backyard of a man who prosecutors say confessed to killing them in 2000. The 82-year-old suspect was indicted last fall. And in a twist, he died just hours before the remains were found.13
🏭 Not surprisingly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency didn’t win many friends among top state officials when it issued new rules on coal and gas-fired power plants. The rules announced Thursday are aimed at reining in greenhouse gases. They include one that would require existing coal-fired power plants and new natural gas plants to eventually capture 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions. Senator Manchin told MetroNews that the rules are “pure lunacy.”14 Governor Justice issued a statement expressing frustration and saying that West Virginia doesn’t matter to the Biden Administration.15 And in his own statement, state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey pledged to challenge the EPA in court.16
🔐 From the WV Weakly news vault: Industrial disasters in West Virginia usually involve the mining industry, but 46 years ago today one of the worst non-mining disasters happened in Pleasants County. Known as the Willow Island Disaster, 51 workers plunged to their deaths when scaffolding collapsed during construction of a cooling tower at Monongahela Power Company’s Pleasants Power Station.17 This past Monday marked 21 years since the late Judy Bonds received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work campaigning against mountaintop removal mining. The footnote will take you to the profile my former West Virginia Public Broadcasting colleague Jeff Young produced for the public radio program Living on Earth.18 And the first Black man to play in an NBA game was a graduate of what is now West Virginia State University. Earl Lloyd was drafted by the Washington Capitols 74 years ago this week, on April 25, 1950.19
Editor’s Note: I kind of like how this weekend’s newsletter turned out. Thing is, though, it doesn’t really matter what I think. What matters is what YOU think. Do you like the format? Are the stories we included relevant? Did we miss anything? Do you want more essays on silly things like ramps? How about those emojis? Please help inform how we move forward with The West Virginia Weakly by leaving a comment. Critical remarks get sent to Dave. Praise falls under my purview.
West Virginia Department of Human Services stonewalls on disclosure in Boone County child death ~ Steven Allen Adams, Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Justice: Child Protective Services didn’t know about Boone girl found dead in a ‘skeletal state.’ ~ Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
Justice campaign draws FEC scrutiny for reporting on lien-addled Greenbrier Hotel Corp ~ Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
$1 billion lawsuit by West Virginia governor’s businesses against their banker gets bumped to Virginia ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
Court divided over constitutionality of criminal penalties for homelessness ~ Amy Howe, SCOTUSblog
Attorney general announces state will seek Supreme Court review of transgender athlete case ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
West Virginia transgender sports ban discriminates against teen athlete, appeals court says ~ John Raby, The Associated Press
Raleigh County prosecuting attorney details discovery of mother and daughter’s remains at Beckly home ~ Gailyn Markham, WVVA-TV
West Virginia officials blast new EPA rules with heavier restrictions coal, gas power plants ~ Brad McElhinny, WVMetroNews
51 killed in Collapse of Scaffold at Power Plant in West Virginia ~ The New York Times, April 28, 1978
Coalminer’s daughter turned activist wins top enviro prize ~ Jeff Young, WVPB for Living on Earth
Earl Lloyd: The NBA’s first Black player, moved basketball forward ~ Mike Freeman, USA Today
I like this "roundup" style coupled with insights from the Weakly Boys. I also liked the personal tales like ramp-stank following Giles over the mountainsides, so maybe try to combine the two, or just throw in the more journal-style stuff whenever an adventure presents itself. It's all been fantastic. Keep up the good work!
Yes, keep this one going!