In The News

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — For years, West Virginia had among the worst cell phone and broadband service in the nation, but now that may change in a big way. And it could mean big money coming from Washington, D.C. For years the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been trying to get a handle on broadband and cell phone gaps in the United States. In part, due to rugged terrain, West Virginia often underperformed most states. Now, the newest FCC maps, indicate more than 271,000... Read More

WASHINGTON, DC (LOOTPRESS) — U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to help communities attract workers who possess career skills that are most needed in their regions. The legislation, known as the Workforce Development through Post-Graduation Scholarships Act, would mandate that scholarship recipients of post-graduation grant programs are not required to pay income taxes on awarded funding, similar to... Read More

WASHINGTON (WV News) — After the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to pass a bill to suspend the country’s debt limit, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., shared her support for the bill and intent to vote in favor of it once it reaches the Senate. Capito spoke about the bill — which would suspend the debt limit through Jan. 1 2025, thus preventing a default — during a press conference Thursday. She said that she believes the bill will be passed by the Senate,... Read More

WASHINGTON (WV News) — The developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are “grateful” for the support of Washington leaders who led to the project being included in the debt ceiling deal, according to a spokesperson. Assurances for completing the natural gas pipeline project, which has faced numerous setbacks and delays since it was first announced nearly a decade ago, are a central component of the package negotiated by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the White House over the... Read More

WASHINGTON (WV News) — A bill that aims to promote continued and additional nuclear power capabilities in the United States has been advanced by a U.S. Senate committee. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act of 2023 passed the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee by a 16-3 vote Wednesday, according to a press release. The ADVANCE Act was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators, including the committee’s ranking member,... Read More

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) — 11 projects throughout West Virginia were awarded close to $11 million to help assess, clean up and revitalize brownfield sites. One of the projects in Morgantown that will reap the benefits is White Park. The funding for the project comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Program with $500,000 going towards cleaning up the park. Other awards include: $1,000,000 – West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection $968,438... Read More

CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS)– US Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Gary Peters (D-MI) reintroduced the Workforce Development through Post-Graduation Scholarships Act to help communities find workers and cut taxes for recent college graduates. According to Capito, this legislation would mandate that those with scholarships from post-graduation grant programs would not be required to pay income taxes on awarded funding, like traditional scholarships. The Act would: Exclude... Read More

After several attempts at expediting the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), state congressional leaders say they are satisfied with provisions in the new debt limit deal reached last weekend by Pres. Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that will get the project on a fast track. “After working with Speaker McCarthy and reiterating what completing the Mountain Valley Pipeline would mean for American jobs and domestic energy production, I am thrilled it is included in... Read More

A deal struck by President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to raise the debt limit includes expedited approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The text of proposed legislation resulting from the agreement to avert a default revealed Sunday evening includes a provision that would compel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue all permits needed to finish construction of the pipeline within three weeks. The deal, which requires congressional approval, would prohibit... Read More

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WBOY) — West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito joined a group of other Senate Republicans in criticizing a rule change at the U.S.-Mexico border that they say “will enable human smuggling and trafficking,” particularly that of children. In a letter addressed to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the group addressed “recent reports indicating that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will stop using ‘all... Read More

The highly-anticipated debt ceiling package House Republicans and President Biden announced on Sunday includes a provision fast-tracking a massive 303-mile West Virginia-to-Virginia natural gas pipeline project for approval. The unexpected carveout green-lighting the billion-dollar Mountain Valley Pipeline — which is 94% complete, but has been mired in a lengthy permitting process for years — was immediately cheered by West Virginia lawmakers who have touted the project's... Read More

WEST VIRGINIA (WTRF) — The legislation to raise the debt ceiling could mean the Mountain Valley Pipeline will move more quickly to completion. The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 includes a provision ordering the Secretary of the Army to issue the permits to complete its construction. The natural gas pipeline would stretch from Wetzel County all the way to southern Virginia, but has been delayed over environmental and legal challenges. It follows unsuccessful efforts by Senator Joe... Read More

A deal struck by President Joe Biden and U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to raise the debt limit includes expedited approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. The text of proposed legislation resulting from the agreement to avert a default revealed Sunday evening includes a provision that would compel the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue all permits needed to finish construction of the pipeline within three weeks. The deal, which requires congressional approval, would prohibit... Read More

WASHINGTON — The debt ceiling deal awaiting congressional approval includes sections that clearly state the importance of completing the Mountain Valley Pipeline through West Virginia and Virginia and call for the project be expedited. “The Congress hereby finds and declares that the timely completion of construction and operation of the Mountain Valley Pipeline is required in the national interest. The Mountain Valley Pipeline will serve demonstrated natural gas demand in the... Read More

The debt ceiling deal that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) struck with the White House includes the expedited completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a surprise development in the protracted negotiations that is sure to upset dozens of Democrats who oppose new fossil fuel infrastructure. The provision is a major achievement for the West Virginia congressional delegation, including Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV). Members of the delegation have introduced... Read More

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - As President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a deal regarding the nation’s debt ceiling over Memorial Day Weekend, the bill’s text revealed a provision to expedite completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Title 3, section 324 of the bill reads: “Expediting completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.” “Despite delay after delay, we continued to fight to get this critical natural gas pipeline up and... Read More

The debt ceiling deal hammered out by the president and House Republicans includes provisions to speed the remaining permitting of the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline. The expedited permitting is receiving praise from West Virginia’s congressional delegation, which has pushed for the pipeline’s completion, and criticism from environmental groups. National news outlets reported that the pipeline provision was directly linked to Senate Energy Chairman Joe Manchin,... Read More

CHARLESTON — The U.S. Supreme Court received praise Thursday from West Virginia elected officials for ruling in favor of an Idaho family in a wetlands dispute with federal regulators that could benefit state farmers and property owners. In Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that wetlands on land in Idaho owned by Chantell and Mike Sackett do not fall under the jurisdiction of federal environmental regulators. While the justices were... Read More

West Virginia has formally thrown its support behind a national attempt to rein in one of the many ugly turns taken in the ongoing opioid epidemic. In the Mountain State, the number of opioid overdoses deaths where the horse tranquillizer turned synthetic opioid-cutting agent, xylazine, also was present has risen each year since it first showed up on state overdose toxicology reports in 2018, according to the West Virginia Office of Drug Control Policy’s director, Dr. Matthew... Read More

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - Members of the community gathered at the Bridgeport Conference Center for the annual Harrison County Chamber of Commerce dinner. For over 100 years, business owners in Harrison County have come together to grow the community. Every year the chamber hosts a dinner to recognize all the members’ work over the past year. They also share ideas for the upcoming year to try to get more people involved in networking. This year, Senator Shelley Moore Capito was... Read More