We're over the primary hump. Now what? A special legislative session, that's what.
The West Virginia Weakly Reader for Saturday, May 18, 2024
West Virginia’s primary election is now in the rear view and who’ll be on the November ballot has been settled — pending canvassing, of course.
Keeping as much as we could with our self-proclaimed brand, Giles and I decided to “stay weak” and let someone else tackle the heavy lifting of the post-primary analysis. If you haven’t read it quite yet, do yourself a favor and check out WVU political science professor Sam Workman’s insights on the 2024 primary.
Sam’s guest essay is just one example of our attempts to expand The Weakly — in its form, function and, hopefully, in terms of our audience.
Speaking of which, sharing this newsletter with friends and family on social media is the best way to help us accomplish that last part. All it takes is hitting this button:
After weeks of delay, we’ve finally got our proverbial ducks in a row and will be turning on paid subscriptions next week. That’s right — we have overcome our wonky schedules for our real jobs and jumped through the bureaucratic hoops to ensure that the IRS and the West Virginia Tax Department will get their cut of whatever we haul in on this endeavor.
To those of you who have pledged your support already: we’re grateful, as filtering through the news and trying to keep you entertained is a task we take seriously — despite our tendency to ramble and crack the occasional joke.
To those who are new to the party — or simply on the fence about the commitment of a paid subscription: I guess we’ll have to keep posting the subscribe button:
We’ve also been kicking around a subscription level that’d land you a t-shirt of The Weakly state seal and masthead, both designed by our pal Brian Pickens. Part of this idea came about because we want them for ourselves — but we also think you’d look gorgeous in one. If nothing else, we figure it’d be a great conversation starter. So, let us know what you think of that idea:
The West Virginia Weakly Reader - your weekly rundown of news from around the state:
🏛️ West Virginia lawmakers are set to begin a special session on Sunday. Gov. Jim Justice issued the proclamation yesterday, asking the Legislature to tackle fifteen measures.1 The governor is calling on lawmakers to reallocate funds after passing a “skinny budget” this past session. The slimmed down budget approved in the regular session came about as lawmakers faced the threat of a $465 million “clawback” from the U.S. Department of Education.2 The special session will run alongside the already scheduled May interim session, which is slated for Monday and Tuesday.3 With some big names losing in the primary, including Senate President Craig Blair (R-Berkeley) and Senate Health Committee Chairman Mike Maroney (R-Marshall) there’s bound to be a strange atmosphere around the Capitol as lawmakers gather for the first time since the election.
😥 Gov. Jim Justice’s legislative director, former state senator and former delegate Bob Ashley of Roane County passed away this week at the age of 70. The governor described Ashley as “someone you could always rely on.”4 Similar fondness for Ashley and condolences to his family came from Roane County and elsewhere around the state as well.5 (On a personal note, Ashley’s son Ben is about my age and I recently bumped into him around Morgantown, which made for a fun moment of catching up. We’re thinking of you and the rest of your family, Ben.)
⛏️ There’s more sad news this week, as a coal miner was killed in Wyoming County while on the job. Gov. Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice offered their condolences to the family of Virgil Paynter, who was killed Thursday while operating an excavator at CM Energy Operations LP Surface Mine.6 The governor says the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training and the Mine Safety and Health Administration are at the site of the incident and will be conducting an investigation.
🐍 Republican Secretary of State candidate and former House Minority Leader (when he was a Democrat) Doug Skaff was bitten by copperheads while removing campaign signs following Tuesday’s primary. Skaff, who was treated at the Charleston Area Medical Center for pain and swelling of his left leg, says he was removing signs in Boone County when he stepped on something and felt something sharp.7 What a thing to endure after the sting of an election loss, huh?
🐘 The GOP’s pick for governor, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is calling on Republicans to unite behind his campaign now that he’s the nominee. In a post on X8, Morrisey — probably best known for challenging polices from the Obama and Biden administrations in court — also called on West Virginians of all political stripes to unite behind his bid for the governor’s office and “stop the crazy woke policies which hurt our families.” Given his emphasis on anti-trans rhetoric in the primary, it’s difficult to imagine many Democrats and others who lean left will get on board with Morrisey for the November election.
💡Speaking of Morrisey’s penchant for challenging Democratic policies in court, one issue he’s been keen to fight against made some news this week. The chair of the West Virginia Public Service Commission says new rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would threaten hundreds of millions of dollars planned to upgrade the state’s coal fleet.9 PSC Chair Charlotte Lane wrote in a brief to an appeals court that carbon capture would be too expensive and that power plants in West Virginia would shut down several years earlier than planned. As Attorney General, Morrisey has long fought EPA rules that tighten regulations on coal-fired power plants.10
🔪Three men charged in the killing of notorious Boston gangster Whitey Bulger have reached plea deals, according to court documents filed this week.11 Bulger, a longtime criminal-turned-FBI-informant who later was on the lam for years, was killed in October 2018 at USP Hazelton in Preston County just hours after being transferred to the facility. Details of the plea agreements for Fotios “Freddy” Geas, Paul J. DeCologero and Sean McKinnon have not yet been released, though prosecutors have asked the court to schedule hearings on the matter.
🏛️ While the West Virginia Department of Human Services has claimed state authorities had no knowledge of threats to a 14-year-old child prior to their death in an alleged case of child abuse and neglect, an investigation by WSAZ-TV indicates otherwise.12 The teenager’s mother, Julie Miller of Boone County, was arrested last month after the child was found dead of apparent starvation and in skeletal state.13 Documents requested by the Charleston-Huntington broadcaster under a Freedom of Information Act request show notes related to a welfare check in March 2023. And an anonymous letter sent to WSAZ-TV also details two referrals to Child Protective Services involving the teenager.
🍺 Looking for a spot to have an adult beverage outside in a busy area of a West Virginia municipality? New PODA, or Private Designated Outdoor Area, locations launched in Morgantown14 and Charleston15 this week. The area in downtown Morgantown is being dubbed the “Morgantown Mile,” while locations in Charleston include a part of the East End and the Bridge Road neighborhood. There are some rules and restrictions at play, so don’t just be rolling around with a cold one all willy-nilly.
🎣 Here’s one for Giles, who’s been trying — with incremental success — to up his fly fishing game over the past few years: The inaugural edition of an a fly fishing festival is set for the end of the month in Thomas. The Appalachian Fly Fishing Festival will take place May 31 to June 2. The idea came from a pair of anglers who wanted to share their love of the pastime and the natural beauty of West Virginia.16
The ‘Everyone’s Got One’ Section — A look at op-ed type pieces that resonated with The Weakly ‘s editorial board this week:
In West Virginia, the media cannot be played ~ Kelli Caseman, West Virginia Watch
West Virginia: Primarily Republican, but generally centric? ~ WVNews
Hoppy Kercheval: For Williams, Elliott, breeze is a headwind (Opinion) ~ The Charleston Gazette-Mail
🔓 And from the West Virginia Weakly News Vault:
May 13, 1962: Editorial cartoonist Henry Payne was born
May 15, 1953: Baseball player George Brett was born in Glen Dale
May 15, 2023: The section of Cass Scenic Railroad from Cass to Durbin reopened for the first time since it was destroyed in the 1985 flood
May 15, 1975: Wheeling Suspension Bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark
May 16, 1968: Recovery crews found the final six survivors from the Hominy Falls mine disaster
Lastly, I decided to create a Facebook Page for The West Virginia Weakly. As an elder millennial, I’ve always approached social media a bit begrudgingly. But seeing as that’s where the folks “are,” I have succumbed. Give it a “like” and a share for us, would ya?
Special Session Proclamation ~ Office of Gov. Jim Justice, May 17, 2024
Justice: Special session to start on Sunday; child care initiatives not included on call ~ Caity Coyne, West Virginia Watch
Interim Committee Schedule ~ West Virginia Legislature
Gov. Justice releases statement on passing of former lawmaker, legislative director Bob Ashley ~ News Release, May 15, 2024
Ashley remembered in Roane County and beyond ~ Brett Dunlap, The Parkersburg News & Sentinel
Governor and First Lady Justice issue statement on death of coal miner in Wyoming County ~ News Release, May 16, 2024
Skaff hospitalized after being bitten by snakes while taking down campaign signs ~ Jeff Jenkins, WVMetroNews
@MorriseyWV on X ~ May 16, 2024
PSC Chair: EPA Rules Would Threaten W.Va. Power Plant Upgrades ~ Curtis Tate, West Virginia Public Broadcasting
EPA Rules for New and Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants: Litigation and Rulemaking Documents ~ Office of the West Virginia Attorney General
3 men charged in Whitey Bulger’s 2018 prison killing have plea deals, prosecutors say ~ Alanna Durbin Richer and John Raby, The Associated Press
WSAZ obtains documents, audio, whistleblower letter in alleged Boone Co. neglect case ~ Curtis Johnson and Kristen Bentley, WSAZ-TV
Mother arrested in connection with teen’s death ~ Alyssa Hannahs, WSAZ-TV
Sip and stroll: Morgantown opens downtown PODA ~ Ben Conley, The Dominion Post
2 new PODAs have opened in popular Charleston retail areas ~ Ashley Perham, The Charleston Gazette-Mail