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Harpers Ferry is a historic West Virginia city and international tourist hub. But four years ago the national park and surrounding town were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Capitol Office Keeps W. Va. Citizens Informed About Legislature
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While the legislature’s process has been slowed due to the chemical leak, one office down in the basement of the Capitol continues its function of keeping the public informed.
“We’re essentially called the Office of Public Information or Legislative Information,” Director Drew Ross said.
“We’re staffed with four, two full-time writers, two per-diem writers during session and this year we have two interns that help us help the members. Because, what you see is the Capitol press corps has been getting smaller and smaller every year and some of the newspapers around the state don’t have the resources to send reporters to the Capitol. So, we go ahead and send basic information.”
On this West Virginia Morning, tourists from around the world visit Harpers Ferry each year to immerse themselves in U.S. history. But the number of visitors fell in 2020, as public health restrictions ramped up nationwide. Jack Walker visited the town to learn how things have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Across the nation, there are more and more local news deserts; communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. When a small town paper like The Welch News in McDowell County, WV, can’t compete and shuts down, losing those local eyes and ears can affect accountability. No one is there to watch over things. Local news also provides a sense of cohesion and identity for a community. What happens when it’s gone? This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.
On this West Virginia Morning, it has been a year since allegations of illicit recordings of cadets and other women at the West Virginia State Police barracks launched federal and state investigations into the law enforcement department. We speak with the superintendent of state police for an update.
On this West Virginia Morning, political analysts say the two Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate in the upcoming May primary election give voters some particular, and troubling, food for thought. The candidates themselves say voters need to focus on the positives, not the negatives.