U.S. Capitol

On this West Virginia Morning, we speak with an organization that surveyed workers in southern West Virginia to find out the challenges they face in the gig economy as the coal industry has declined. Also, we have the latest news on a West Virginia man who was arrested near the U.S. Capitol this week, a report on an extended sign up period with the Affordable Care Act, and this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

A 23-year-old University of Kentucky student Gracyn Courtright of West Virginia made her first court appearance and was released on bond Tuesday after being charged for her role in the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol.

Court records show Gracyn Courtright — who is from Hurricane, West Virginia but attends the University of Kentucky in Lexington — was charged over the weekend with four misdemeanors in connection with the riots on the capitol grounds. The 23-year-old has been charged with entering a restricted building, disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct and theft of government property under $1,000.

At least two Jefferson County School employees are under investigation by the school district following last week’s protest of Congress certifying state election results. The two employees in question are school bus drivers Tina Renner and Pamela McDonald. The women are being investigated for possible illegal activity in connection to Wednesday's violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and for “threatening” Facebook posts.

The insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump extremists has thrown Congress into turmoil. Many are asking what to do about the president who encouraged the acts of the rioters who attacked the capitol building. Mary Beth Beller is an associate professor of political science at Marshall University and gives her perspective on what brought us to this situation and what will happen moving forward.

On this West Virginia Morning, we hear from a political science professor at Marshall University who takes us back to last Wednesday’s events in Washington, D.C. and explores how it might affect the fate of President Donald Trump. We also hear the latest news on the COVID-19 vaccine made available for workers in West Virginia's correctional facilities, but not yet for those incarcerated.

After shots were reportedly fired at the U.S. Capitol, a lockdown went into effect. Roughly an hour after those first reports, all members of West…