Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
A huge education reform bill was revealed in the Senate Education Committee. We bring you up-to-date on the bill’s latest action, and we also take a closer look at broadband expansion legislation moving through the statehouse.
Senior Statehouse Reporter Dave Mistich joins host Suzanne Higgins to recap the Senate Education Committee meeting that took up the education reform bill. The bill, which does not have a bill number yet, would make changes to several areas of the state’s education system and has a big emphasis on implementing charter schools in West Virginia.
Higgins is also joined by Dale Lee, President of the West Virginia Education Association and Fred Albert, President of the American Federation of Teachers – West Virginia Chapter who both respond to the omnibus education reform bill.
The Broadband Expansion Act of 2019 will be up for passage in the House Friday, while the Senate continues to work on its own bill to further broadband expansion. Reporter Danite Belay spoke to the sponsors of those bills.
On Friday’s episode of The Legislature Today, we bring you our weekly conversation with statehouse reporters on all the Capitol news of the week.
On this West Virginia Morning, drinking water in Wyoming County is making people sick but it’s unclear who is responsible. Also, a look at voter concerns ahead of May's primary election.
Across the nation, more than 390,000 children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
On this West Virginia Morning, domestic violence prevention advocates lined the State Capitol rotunda in February, seeking a budget increase. They said lawmakers were receptive to the idea. But no increase was passed before this year’s regular legislative session ended. Jack Walker checked in with domestic violence prevention advocates on funding needs as a potential special session approaches.
On this West Virginia Morning, as the primary race for governor enters the home stretch, some candidate’s negative attack ads running endlessly on broadcast and social media target a minority group – transgender children. But what is the fallout from these ads for this vulnerable group, and West Virginia children and families in general? Randy Yohe has the story.