West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

What were the top stories in West Virginia from 2016? We searched our archives from the past year and compiled this list of the most popular stories.

As we cap off 2016, West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s producers and programs share their most memorable moments of the year. Find each of our Best of 2016 posts at wvpublic.org/term/best-2016.

10. Chlorine Leak from Axiall Corp. Sends Two to Hospital, Evacuates Communities

Two people were transported to hospitals for inhalation injuries, others were treated at the site of a reported chlorine leak in Marshall County.

9. Governor Tomblin Signs Budget that Taps Reserves

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed that took $147.5 million from the state’s $922 million Rainy Day Fund to cover a projected shortfall.

8. Blankenship Gets One Year in Prison, One Year Supervised Release, $250,000 Fine

Former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship was sentenced to the maximum one year in prison and another year of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy at the company to skirt mine safety standards.

7. Ohio Man Arrested in Connection with Huntington Overdoses

An Akron, Ohio man was arrested connection with a rash of overdoses in Huntington. Emergency crews responded to 26 overdoses in a four-hour span and two people died in connection with the same batch of heroin distributed in the city.

6. W.Va. Medicaid Doctors Put on Alert as State’s Cash Flows Dwindle

More than 24,000 doctors across West Virginia who accept Medicaid were put on alert Monday that the state may not be able to “continue to process claims at the same consistent level.”

5. PEIA Board Approves $120 Million in Cuts for Second Time

the state Public Employees Insurance Agency, or PEIA, Finance Board voted unanimously to reinstate benefit cuts, affecting health care costs for some 230,000 West Virginians.

4. Common Core, School Calendar Bills Vetoed

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed two education bills, one that would have repealed Common Core aligned standardized tests in the state and a second that would have allowed county boards to schedule fewer then 180 days in their school calendars.

3. West Virginia Senate Approves ‘Brunch Bill’

Senators unanimously passed a bill that would move the start of Sunday alcohol sales from 1 p.m. to 10 a.m.

2. Election 2016

From the primary elections in May to the general election in November, election stories were constant sources of headlines in 2016. Here were the top posts:

Live Blog: 2016 West Virginia Primary

10 Takeaways from the W.Va. Primary Election

‘Trump Digs Coal’ at Charleston Rally

Election 2016: West Virginia Goes For Trump, Justice Wins, State Legislature Remains with GOP

1. June 2016 Flood

Heavy flooding in West Virginia during June claimed 23 lives, destroyed more than 4,000 homes and businesses and resulted in 10 counties being declared federal disaster area. Through statewide coverage and individual stories, this disaster produced the most compelling stories of 2016

Flooding in Richwood: Image Gallery

Greenbrier Resort Opens Doors to Flood Victims

‘I Almost Gave Up’: Flood Survivor Remembers the Voice Who Saved Her

Inside Appalachia: West Virginia’s 1,000 Year Flood

You’ve now experienced 2016 through West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Make sure to follow @wvpublic on social media and sign-up for our email newsletter to keep up with 2017’s stories.

What will you remember about 2016? Take a look at our favorite photos and review the year in images. Post your own favorites with the tag #WV2016, and we’ll share them with our audience.

As we cap off 2016, West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s producers and programs share their most memorable moments of the year. Find each of our Best of 2016 posts at wvpublic.org/term/best-2016

A snowstorm in January produced as much as 3 ft of snow in West Virginia, leading Governor Tomblin to declare a state of emergency. But some residents, such as Jonah Katz and Jodie Rose in Morgantown, took the opportunity to go sledding.

Wilco at their February 14 Mountain Stage soundcheck. The band’s Charleston show sold out just a few hours after being announced.

Sen. Bernie Sanders gets the Morgantown Event Center crowd pumped up during his May 5 campaign stop.

An abandoned field near what was DuPont, now Chemours. The company manufactured C8, or PFOA, for years and contaminated municipal water throughout the region.

A paramedic loads a baby into an ambulance outside of Richwood the night of the floods.

Caroline Smith holds a rabbit named Joplin, who swam 50 feet in flood waters. Smith and her husband Michael Buttrill lost thousands of dollars in tools and equipment in the June flood.

Businesses and homes were affected by the June 2016 floods that left thousands without food, electricity, and housing.

A truck lies in Howard Creek in Greenbrier County after being swept away by June 2016 flooding. The floods took the lives of 23 West Virginians.

Rachel Taylor stands on her front porch in White Sulphur Springs. Her dog’s paw prints are visible on either side of the door where he tried to get in during the flood.

A group of friends hang out at a Pokemon Gym location in Shepherdstown (at the Rumsey Monument) and try to “capture” the gym for their team.

A statue honoring TV legend Don Knotts was unveiled on July 23 in front of The Metropolitan Theatre in Morgantown.

Olympic medalists and WVU students Kadeisha Buchanan, Ashley Lawrence, and Ginny Thrasher pose for a photo in September at the Morgantown Event Center.

Aerial view of Beckley, West Virginia, during a air medical team exercise.

Aerial view of mountain top removal in West Virginia.

West Virginia University ‘Striped the Stadium’ versus Kansas State on October 1. WVU won the game 17-16 and finished the season at 10-2.

Election night in November for Mountain Party gubernatorial candidate Charlotte Pritt.

27-year-old Kat Biller was one of the many West Virginians who voted in November’s election. “I felt my duty was to vote. Even though they say West Virginia is a Trump State, and they say oh there’s no way. It felt good to vote.”

Jim Justice delivers his victory speech in the Governor’s race.

Harvesting industrial hemp on a research farm in Pocahontas County.

Family and community members crowded around the Marshall University Memorial Fountain on November 14. The ceremony was to mark the 46th anniversary of a plane crash that claimed the lives of Marshall’s football players, coaches, and community members.

Long nights of reporting were no match for reporter Roxy Todd’s newshound Tucker.

Congrats! You’ve now experienced 2016 through the eyes of West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Make sure to follow @wvpublic on social media and sign-up for our email newsletter to keep up with 2017’s stories.

Author: West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The 10 Biggest Stories from West Virginia's 2016

#WV2016: A Year in Pictures