On this West Virginia Morning, we bring you updates on a needle exchange bill that Gov. Justice has signed into law. Then, we visit East Tennessee and hear the story of a legendary moonshining matriarch. Finally, our song of the week is Sea Of Heartbreak by Rosanne Cash, a throwback to a 2008 episode of Mountain Stage.

The West Virginia Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to approve the closing and consolidation of schools in four counties.Board members acknowledged the difficulties of school closings but applauded the work of county superintendents in formulating and promoting each plan.

Amid a rise in overdose deaths, the W.VA Legislature spent little time on bills that could have helped.

On this West Virginia Morning, we bring you updates on the education and COVID-19 news. Then, a sit down with reporter Emily Allen all about the state's overcrowded jails and what lawmakers have proposed to fix the issue. Our final story comes from a recent episode of Us & Them when host Trey Kay visits Pocohantas County, a place that can hear Mars doesn't have reliable broadband.

In a letter written by the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, signees said the bill could “eradicate” harm reduction programs that help curb the spread of HIV and other blood-borne illnesses. The bill doesn’t shut down programs, but it requires all operators to get approval from local city councils and county commissioners.

West Virginia education officials emphasized the importance of in-person instruction during a Wednesday meeting of the state board of education.State Superintendent Clayton Burch said most school systems in West Virginia are offering five days a week of in-person instruction while 14 counties have been granted a waiver to offer four days of in-person classes.

The president said he will move to withdraw American forces from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of an active U.S. military presence in the country.

FDA officials paused use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine out of “an abundance of caution” while they are investigating six cases of blood clots among the estimated 7 million people who have received the vaccine. State leaders around the Ohio Valley will temporarily have fewer doses of COVID-19 vaccine to distribute following the Food and Drug Administration’s decision Tuesday

George Tanios, the owner and operator of Sandwich University restaurant in Morgantown, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in federal court on a number of charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.Tanios and Julian Khatar of Pennsylvania face 10 counts, including conspiring to injure police. They were arrested by federal law enforcement last month and have now both pleaded not guilty.

A new feature length documentary premieres tonight on HBO based on the best-selling book Our Towns. The book, and the film, look at life in small town America, including a segment on Charleston, West Virginia.