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GOP changes Primary rules for 2026

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Republican Party executive committee voted Saturday to close its Primary Election, limiting it to Republican voters only, starting in 2026. The move reverses a decision the GOP made over three decades ago to allow independent voters to participate. The party leaders voted 65 in favor and 54 against the resolution. There are currently 287,000 independent or non-affiliated voters in West Virginia, making up 25% of all registered voters. The debate initially divided state GOP leaders. The party’s resolutions committee earlier voted 4-3 to advance a ...

Blankenship registers to run as a Democrat for U.S. Senate

Don Blankenship, political lightning rod and former coal titan who spent a year in jail on a mine safety conspiracy conviction, is running as a Democrat for U.S. Senate. This is the seat that Senator Joe Manchin, an independent-minded mainstay of West Virginia Democratic politics, has chosen to bow out of competing to retain. Most pundits believe the seat is likely to flip to a Republican, and the top candidates on that side are incumbent Gov. Jim Justice and Congressman Alex Mooney. Blankenship has been involved with Republican politics in West Virginia for many years, first as ...

A sampling of bills introduced Friday, Jan. 26

MORGANTOWN — Here is a sampling of bills introduced Friday, Jan. 26. Local sponsors and co-sponsors are noted. SB 566, the Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council to examine the needs of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, the services ...

Commissioners vote to update employee handbook

KINGWOOD — In an unusually short meeting, Preston County commissioners voted to move forward with an agreement to update their employee handbook. The cost of the update is not to exceed $3,000. Commissioner Samantha Stone said once the employee handbook is updated, elected officials can choose to adopt it or not to use it. She said attorney Wendy Greve will provide a training session with county employees about the changes being made. Greve works with the firm of Pullin, Fowler, Flanagan, Brown, and Poe. “We have a retainer with them but the hourly rate increased,” she ...

Bill allowing DNA collection for felony crimes struck down

CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates defeated a bill Thursday that would have allowed DNA to be collected by police from those arrested for some felony crimes. Following a long debate, delegates defeated HB 4627 on a 30-66 vote. The bill would have allowed police to collect DNA from a person arrested for a felony crime “of violence against a person, burglary or felony offense where the victim was a minor child.” The DNA collected would be stored until the completion of the criminal case against the person arrested. If the person was eventually found to be not guilty or the ...

Bill introduced allows committee to meet privately to hear details about sensitive matters

CHARLESTON — Tragic situations where lawmakers grew frustrated while trying to ask questions prompted a bill that passed the House of Delegates. The bill, HB 4595, would allow a legislative oversight committee to meet privately to hear details about sensitive matters like child protective services investigations or nursing home abuse allegations. Even though the provision allows closed door meetings, the concept is that lawmakers could gain access to sensitive information, perform oversight functions and potentially react in a timely fashion to adjust policies. The bill also ...