MORGANTOWN — In 2022, the Morgantown Building Commission took ownership of Morgantown City Hall, the Norwood Fire Station and the city’s public works garage in exchange for the issuance of bonds to finance significant improvements to the aging facilities. Fast forward two years, ...
KINGWOOD — Members of the Preston County Commission were provided information about the Rank One Computing (ROC) Smart Community Initiative during their Tuesday meeting. Jessica Sell, vice president of Congressional Affairs and Community Outreach, said the program allows individuals to know who is in their schools, businesses or government buildings by enhancing proactive security capabilities. Some of the other counties using this technology are Marion, Taylor, Putnam and Dodridge. According to the ROC website, ROC Watch can be used to identify visitors through a mobile ...
CHARLESTON — Delegates passed a $4.99 billion general revenue budget that includes raises for state employees and a phase-out of state taxes on Social Security. But, with just days left in the regular legislative session, the state’s financial plan is anything but clear. That’s because the Senate Finance committee chairman has continued to express doubt over whether the state can afford the pay raises and Social Security tax cut right now. And because a special session is already being planned for May to focus on financial matters. Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, speaking ...
MORGANTOWN — Senators flushed a House dirty diaper bill down the toilet on Tuesday as a form of protest for House inaction on a host of Senate bills. HB 5002 would require that all state-owned rest areas and welcome centers built after Jan. 1, 2025, have at least one diaper-changing ...
CHARLESTON — Members of the House Finance Committee narrowly advanced a bill that will reduce the amount of checks to unemployed people over time while also increasing the amount paid by employers into the state’s unemployment trust fund. The committee advanced SB 841 on a 14-9 vote after three-and-a-half hours of discussion. The bill now goes to the House floor during the final week of the regular legislative session. Comments by Delegate John Hardy, vice chairman of the Finance Committee, demonstrated the conflict — calling the bill “a hot mess” but also saying he ...
CHARLESTON — A bill that would make it illegal for an adult to smoke in a car where kids are passengers remains alive in the final week of the legislative session. The House Finance Committee approved SB 378 in a 9-7 split vote in a Monday morning meeting. There were nine committee members not at the meeting. The bill previously passed the Senate, its sponsor is Senate Majority Leader Tom Takubo, R-Kanawha, a medical doctor. Committee members shared personal stories before voting on the bill Monday. “I can remember crawling down into the floorboard of the backseat of ...
