West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Governor Reports Six Church Outbreaks In W.Va.

At least six local health departments in West Virginia have now reported coronavirus outbreaks related to churches.

As of Wednesday, the state reported 34 positive cases of COVID-19 at the Graystone Baptist Church in Greenbrier County, four positive cases at the First Baptist Church in Ohio County and four active cases at the Church of Christ in Bloomingrose, Boone County.

All three churches are closed, and Gov. Jim Justice said one person has been hospitalized. Earlier in June, Hampshire, Jefferson and Marshall county health departments notified the state of outbreaks associated with one church each. The state said those cases are no longer active.

“While church is surely the most sacred ground, it is the spot where we’re singing and where we’re projecting our voices, and we’re closer together,” Justice said in a virtual press briefing, “there’s more elderly there, and all of the things that make it just right for an outbreak, a potential problem.”

Justice urged people to wear masks while they worship. He said he would support requiring people to wear masks in theory, but waffled on whether he’d actually enforce such a rule. To the east, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has been requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces since late May.

“To be perfectly honest, I am a proponent,” he said, adding later, “I want good West Virginians to be all together. And I don’t want to start mandating things on West Virginians that could potentially divide us. It’s a tough call.”

In Ohio County, most churches reopened earlier in May with policies urging people to bring face masks, and with seating arrangements that encouraged social distancing, said county health officer Howard Gamble.

“We tell people, this is a virus,” Gamble said Wednesday. “The more ways you give the virus to spread, it will find it.”

In Greenbrier County, Graystone Baptist Church Pastor Youel Altizer told the Beckley Register-Herald members weren’t wearing face masks. Church officials declined several requests for an interview with West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Both Ohio and Greenbrier health departments urge people who attended those churches, or anyone who has had contact with infected churchgoers, to get tested.

Wheeling Hospital offers drive-thru testing to patients with symptoms or anyone who has been exposed to the virus.

On Friday, June 19, the West Virginia National Guard will help facilitate free coronavirus testing at the Exley Center on Hil-Dar, a housing community in Wheeling, and again on Saturday, June 20, at the North Wheeling Dream Center. Testing is free and no proof of symptoms or insurance is required, although the Guard does require proof of residency, like a driver’s license. Testing is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

In Greenbrier County, the Guard wrapped up four days of testing on Monday. According to Justice, more than 800 people were tested, and at least eight came back positive. Most tests have been processed at this point.

Coronavirus czar Dr. Clay Marsh said church outbreaks and cases associated with West Virginians who have traveled out of state account for an increase in positive cases. The Preston County Health Department is investigating a cluster of positive COVID-19 cases all linked to recent trips to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a popular tourist destination for West Virginians. Three people have tested positive. The department said in a news release that it expects more.

The state has recorded 2,376 positive cases of COVID-19 and 88 deaths. Justice said nearly a tenth of the population has been tested.

During the Wednesday press briefing, Justice said there are still 13 active coronavirus cases at four jails and two prisons in the state. He also said the state’s unemployment rate has dropped 3 percent from May to 12.9 percent, below the national average of 13.3 percent.

Emily Allen contributed to this report.

Live Blog: West Virginia Primary Election 2020

Today is primary Election Day in West Virginia. Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, state officials delayed the state’s May 12 primary, allowing all registered voters to request an absentee mail-in ballot.

Tuesday, June 9 at 10:25 p.m.

Results for the 2020 primary are coming in across West Virginia tonight. Many races are still too close to call; however, some winners in the larger races have been unofficially declared.

Noteworthy wins are as followed:

President, Republican: Donald Trump
President, Democrat: Joseph Biden
W.Va. Governor, Republican: Jim Justice
U.S. Senate, Republican: Shelley Moore Capito
U.S. House of Representatives, 1st Congressional District, Democrat: Natalie Cline
U.S. House of Representatives, 2nd Congressional District, Republican: Alex X. Mooney
U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd Congressional District, Republican: Carol Miller
W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture, Republican: Kent Leonhardt [projected]
W.Va. Commissioner of Agriculture, Democrat: Bob Beach [projected]

Tuesday, June 9 at 9:35 p.m.

Despite new measures put in place to protect voters from the coronavirus, Monongalia County Clerk Carye Blaney said overall, primary election day went fairly smoothly.

She said her office issued about 14,600 absentee ballots — 12 times the usual. At times, a staff of about 25 people helped process the requests. Still, today she said the polls were busier than expected.

“Actually, we’re pleasantly surprised,” she said, speaking after polls closed Tuesday at the Monongalia County Election Center. “We had a steady stream of voters all day.”

Blaney said she expects voter turnout to be fairly close to the 2016 presidential primary where more than 24,000 citizens cast a vote. This year, she thinks it’ll be closer to 22,000 voters.

“But considering that we’ve been in a pandemic for the last two months, I think that we’re doing pretty good,” she said.

Blaney also said if the General Election in November has to be conducted in a similar manner — with social distancing, masks and expanded mail in voting — she is confident Monongalia County can pull it off.

To keep poll workers and voters safe, voting officials provided face masks and face shields, hand sanitizer disinfecting wipes, and used UV sanitizers to cleanse pens and other instruments. Blaney said every evening the early voting sites across the county were sterilized and disinfected and they will be tomorrow as well.

“I think that what we’re probably seeing is going to become the new normal for large gatherings such as elections, and this primary election, we’ve shown that we can do it,” she said. “We will probably leave in place many of the procedures that we put in place for this primary election. So absolutely. I think it’s doable. We’ve proved tonight that we can do it, so I think it’s fine.”

W.Va. Voters Weigh In On Voting During Coronavirus Pandemic

Today’s primary election is taking place during a historic global pandemic and the coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of the process. Changes began when state officials moved West Virginia’s primary back by nearly a month in order to allow all voters access to absentee voting and to give state officials more time to prepare for in-person voting.

In an interview Tuesday morning, West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner said the move seems to be paying off.

“I just couldn’t be more pleased than I am right now with the cooperation between the clerks, the decisions that were made by the government early on to move the election, getting the PPE and the personal protective equipment out to the polling locations,” he said.

WVPB reporters checked in with voters at the polls about their decision to vote in person. At polling locations across the state, those we spoke to said poll workers were largely wearing masks and sometimes gloves and face shields. Hand sanitizer seemed prevalent and voting machines were spaced at least six feet apart.

Although not everyone who voted wore masks, Morgantown resident and nurse Jamie Boyce said when she voted, everyone did.

“There’s definitely appropriate amounts of hand sanitizer and masks available for everybody,” said Boyce who voted at Morgantown High School Tuesday afternoon. “Everybody was spaced really well, and I really appreciated all the poll workers wearing masks as well. I felt comfortable in there.”

In the Northern Panhandle, voter Rodney Carter said he could empathize with voters who were concerned.

“Some people are scared to death. I watched the news last night. We have five new cases here in Ohio County. So it’s not like it’s going away. You really have to be careful.”

Shepherdstown voter Chris Brodrick said he felt safe voting in person, but his wife voted absentee.

“For me, I think, as long as you got a mask on and take precautions… I think it should be okay,” he said.

But not everyone agreed the voting precautions were necessary. Berkeley County voter and Martinsburg resident Sharon Whitehead said she decided to vote in person over fears of potential voter fraud with absentee ballots. Election experts say fraud in mail balloting is slightly more common than in in-person voting, but it’s such a small amount it’s not statistically meaningful.

Nationwide, more than 113,000 Ameicans have died of the coronavirus. In West Virginia, there have 2,179 confirmed cases and 84 deaths, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Resources.

Tuesday, June 9 at 9 p.m.

As votes are coming in across the state, multiple races within Raleigh County are shaping up to be close, according to County Clerk Daniel Moore.

Moore said the county magistrate race, which includes five divisions and 10 official candidates is an extremely tight race. The mayoral race is not as close, but is still up for grabs.

“But there’s a lot of votes, you know, the precincts are starting to come in now. So there’s a long way to go,” Moore said.

The Division 2 county magistrate race has been particularly divisive, with the Register Herald calling it “a mess.”Amongst the four candidates, there have been accusations ranging from falsifying resumes, harassment, nepotism and even a dead cat left in a candidate’s mailbox.

Former incumbent Steve Massie resigned in March after facing charges on ethical wrongdoing. However, he is still listed on the ballot, but has stated he will not accept the position if he collects the most votes.

Raleigh County Clerk Daniel Moore said he expects to have preliminary results by 10 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9 at 8:50 p.m.

Governor Justice held a press conference by phone just after polls closed across the state. Early results show Justice in the lead with about 65 percent of votes in the Republican primary race for Governor.

“Now… we’ll see how the outcome goes tonight, still got a long way to go. I know that. And absolutely all of us should feel that way. Cause we’re all grabbing the rope and running through the finish line together,” Justice said.

Justice also voiced his support of President Trump, and said he is proud of the way both Trump and Justice’s own administration has handled the coronavirus pandemic.

“West Virginia is poised to come out of this terrible pandemic economically in rock solid shape,” Justice said.

West Virginia’s unemployment rates have continued to climb since March — with recent data showing more than 15 percent of residents out of work.

Tuesday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Polls are now closed across the state. Visit the various links at the top of this post to see results from each type of race.

Tuesday, June 9 at 4 p.m.

Election officials in Berkeley and Jefferson said the day was slow, but they still saw a good turnout. Jefferson County Clerk Jacki Shadle said the county received more than 8,700 absentee ballot requests compared to between 400 and 500 absentee requests on average in past years.

Shadle said poll workers went through special COVID-19-related training before the primary. More than half of the workers they’d worked with in the past said they were in high-risk categories for contacting the virus and opted not to work this year, so Shadle’s office partnered with Shepherd University to bring in several new poll workers in their early 20s.

Seeking a moderate in office, Shepherdstown voter Chris Brodrick said he voted for former vice president Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary.

“I think I’ve had enough of the extremists and people saying we need to go as far in one direction as we possibly can,” he said. “So I’m strongly in favor of somebody who can try and unite all the people in the middle who’ve kind of had no voice.”

In Gilmer County, clerk Jean Butcher said her team provided paper towels, hand sanitzer and Q-tips at the polls, making sure workers had masks and voters waited at least six feet apart from one another. She said the county received more than 900 absentee ballot requsts.

“We normally only have about 30. It’s crazy,” she said.

Tuesday, June 9 at 2 p.m.

In Mercer County, before polls opened this morning, a car accident damaged a light pole on Thorn Street in Princeton. County Clerk Verlin Moye said it caused the power to go out in three voting precincts — CASE Thorn Center, Burke Memorial Baptist Church and the Nazarene Church. Moye said generators are being used and voting was not disrupted. The power will reportedly be restored later this afternoon.

Despite the outage, Moye said voter turnout in Mercer County has been “brisk” and higher than he expected given the coronavirus. He estimated that 65 percent of voters are wearing masks. All poll workers, however, are required to wear masks and maintain social distance.

Meanwhile in Raleigh County, County Clerk Daniel Moore said voter turnout is lower than he expected. Moore said that even though 9,000 residents voted absentee — up from about 600 in the 2016 primary — he is anticipating an overall lower total voter turnout than in 2016. Moore added that a lot of veteran poll workers cancelled at the last minute due to coronavirus concerns, but that “back up poll workers” have filled in.

Greg and Jamie Boyce of Morgantown just voted outside of Morgantown High School.

“I’m just the performing my civic duty and voting because I have the right to and the opportunity to,” Greg Boyce said.

His wife said she look forward to the chance to “flex my civic duty muscle and do what everyone should be excited about.

“I think it’s really important and I don’t know if everybody takes the primary election as seriously as they do the General Election, but there’s so many important things on the ballots. Even in the primary election that we really need to look at our candidates. See what they stand for and vote for who we really feel will represent us well.”

Greg Boyce said he considered absentee but didn’t request a ballot in time.

“I thought what the proper precautions coming out and voting in person was okay. And everything inside of the polling station was done really well, really safe, he said.

Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30 a.m.

Polls are now open across the state. Check back later for updates across the state and at 7:30 p.m. for results as they become available.

West Virginia Secretary of State Mac Warner’s office reports that county clerks have so far received more than 210,000 absentee mail-in ballots — about 17.2 percent of West Virginia’s registered voters. He said more than 40,000 voters went to the polls early today.

“I just couldn’t be more pleased than I am right now with the cooperation between the clerks, the decisions that were made by the government early on the move the election, getting the PPE — the personal protective equipment — out to the polling locations. Voting seems to be going well all around the state,” said Warner.

Despite the historic number of absentee requests, many West Virginians are still headed to the polls today to vote in the primary elections for president, governor, West Virginia Senate, West Virginia House of Delegates, U.S. Senate and U.S. House. Today’s election also serves as the deciding tally for three open seats on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals and other local judicial elections.

We’ll update this post throughout the day and into the night with what we’re learning from voters, candidates and election officials across the state. You can also to tune your radio to WVPB to hear the latest news during our normally scheduled afternoon newscast and at the top of every hour beginning at 6 p.m.

Help Us Memorialize The West Virginians Who Have Died From COVID-19

Human life is fragile. For many of us, the coronavirus pandemic has been a harsh reminder of that.

One of the most difficult parts of the pandemic has been the inability of family and friends to be by the side of those dying in their last moments or gather in person to celebrate the lives of those we have lost.

With that in mind, West Virginia Public Broadcasting would like to help memorialize residents of the state who have died as a result of COVID-19.

Some of us have lost someone we know personally, while others have seen the number of deaths rise but know that those numbers represent real people — people who lived unique and interesting lives.

While we are interested in hearing about how COVID-19 affected each of those who have died in the state, we also would like to learn more about their lives before their diagnosis.

How would you describe this person to a stranger? What did they do for a living? What types of things did they enjoy outside of their job? What is a memory you will have of this person forever?

If you are a family member or a close friend of someone who has died from COVID-19, please fill out this form so that we may help our community remember your loved one. Once you have filled out the form, we will follow up for additional information and request media (photos, video, audio, etc.) that would help tell this person’s story.

Please share this post so that we can create a space for other West Virginians — and all others around the world — to learn more about those we have lost during the pandemic.

While West Virginia Public Broadcasting does understand the seriousness of a request such as this, please understand that we will be fact-checking all information provided to ensure those who are memorialized are done so with honor and respect.

Watch The 2020 W.Va. Supreme Court Candidates Forum

Watch a moderated forum featuring candidates vying for a seat on the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in West Virginia’s 2020 Primary Election.

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The Future of the West Virginia Supreme Court: An Evening with the Candidates will air on WVPB television twice — at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, on the main WVPB channel and at 11 a.m. Friday, June 5, on The West Virginia Channel. The program also will be available Thursday at 6 p.m. on WVPB’s YouTube and Facebook channels and at wvpublic.org

The forum is sponsored by the Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications at Shepherd University.

The Supreme Court of Appeals is West Virginia’s highest court and the court of last resort. It includes five seats, three of which are open for this nonpartisan election, which serves as the General Election for this race. One justice will be selected for each division and will serve a 12-year term, except in Division 3, where appointee John Hutchison is finishing former Justice Allen Loughry’s term. If elected, Hutchison will serve until 2024.

Nine out of 10 candidates joined the forum remotely from across West Virginia in keeping with pandemic safety guidelines:

Division 1: Tim Armstead, David Hummel, Jr. and Richard Neely
Division 2: Jim Douglas, Kristina “Kris” Raynes, Joanna Tabit and William “Bill” Wooton
Division 3: John Hutchison and Bill Schwartz (Lora Dyer did not participate.)

The forum is divided into three segments to sharpen voter focus on the candidates competing in each division. It features two moderators, Dave Mistich, senior reporter for WVPB, and David Welch, director of the Stubblefield Institute.

Voting options in West Virginia’s primary include in-person voting on Election Day, a 10-day early voting period, electronic absentee voting for certain eligible voters, and the expanded use of the excused absentee ballot process due to coronavirus concerns.

More info on this race and the June 9 elections can be found at the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website.

5 Questions You May Be Too Afraid to Ask About W.Va.’s 2020 Primary

The coronavirus pandemic has quickly become the biggest story of 2020, eclipsing the kind of news coverage we’d usually see in the run up to an presidential election. West Virginia will host its primary election next month, on June 9.

For many of us, civics class was longer ago than we’d like to admit. And even if it wasn’t, there are plenty of changes this year due to COVID-19. (Here’s our primary voting guide if you have questions on how things have changed.) (And here’s our story about key races to watch.)

What is a magistrate?

A magistrate is a judge that often hears cases related to small crimes, including misdemeanors. Think speeding tickets or other civil violations in which you would be cited and then released.

Magistrates also conduct preliminary examinations in felony cases and civil cases in which the financial dispute is less than $10,000. Additionally, magistrates can issue protective orders related to domestic violence cases. In counties where there are no mental hygiene commissioners, the chief judge can designate a magistrate to handle involuntary hospitalization cases.

In criminal cases, magistrates issue and record affidavits, complaints, arrest warrants, and search warrants, as well as set bail and make decisions concerning proposed plea agreements, the collection of court costs, cash bonds and fines.

According to the West Virginia Judiciary’s website, “Magistrates use their training and sound judgment to oversee the application and enforcement of state laws, municipal laws, and court procedures.”

In West Virginia, there are 158 magistrates, with at least two in every county. Magistrate judges do not need a law degree or to have entered into the state bar.

How does my registered party affiliation affect which primary I can vote in?

West Virginia has what is known as a “semi-closed” or “hybrid” primary, which very much affects which ballot you will receive and which party’s primaries you can vote in.

If you are registered as a Republican, you can only vote in the Republican primaries. If you are registered as a Democrat, you can only vote in the Democratic primaries. The same goes for those who are registered with the Mountain Party or Independent.

However, if you are registered as “No Party Affiliation” you can choose which party’s ballot you would like to receive for the primary election. That doesn’t mean you can jump from party to party between races (President, Governor, Senate, House, etc.). You can only choose one party’s ballot for all races.

For example, if you are registered as a non-affiliated voter and select a ballot from the Democratic primary, you may only vote to nominate candidates from that party for each race (President, Governor, Senate, House, etc.) The same applies to the Republican or Mountain parties, should you choose one of their ballots.

For the General Election, every registered voter receives the same ballot.

There was concern early on that COVID-19 could spread by mail. Do I need to worry about this, regarding my mail-in ballot?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main source of the coronavirus’s spread is from person to person contact through respiratory droplets from an infected person who coughs, sneezes or talks in close proximity to someone else.

However, researchers are still learning about the virus. The CDC says surface transmission, such as through mail, is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads, but there is some evidence that the virus can survive on some surfaces, such as cardboard, for up to 24 hours.

The CDC also recommends washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer after collecting mail from a post office or home mailbox.

That being said, because the virus’s main source of spread is from person to person contact, voting absentee is most definitely less risky than voting in-person.

Is it too late to change my party affiliation?

Yes. The deadline to register to vote or change your party affiliation is 21 days before each election. That date also serves as the deadline to change one’s party affiliation for a primary.

For the 2020 primary scheduled for June 9, the deadline to register to vote or change party affiliation was May 19.

How does a provisional ballot work?

First, it’s important to remember, you cannot be turned away on Election Day if you show up to vote in most states, including West Virginia. Always request a provisional ballot. They serve as a fail-safe if there are administrative errors or if a voter’s eligibility to vote is uncertain.

According to the Secretary of State’s website, a voter may be offered a provisional ballot if poll workers cannot find your name in the poll book, or you might otherwise be ineligible to vote.

So, if you recently moved, didn’t get your voter registration in on time, or have some sort of inconsistency in your registration when you tried to vote at their precinct, you’ll likely be offered a provisional ballot.

It’s up to each county board of canvassers to decide whether or not to accept your provisional ballot, and often it comes down to what the county clerk can find out about you using public records. Each county’s board of canvassers is made up of different county commissioners.

You can track the status of your provisional ballot by checking with your local County Clerk’s office.

Have other questions? Check out the Secretary of State’s FAQ.

An Inside Look At WVPB: What Working During A Pandemic Means When You’re In The News Media

A major part of the reporting process for many journalists is being on the ground and on the scene when news is happening.

Whether going out in the field to report a feature (and then returning to the office to write and produce the story) or responding to breaking news and having to file stories on the road, reporters are accustomed to working remotely. Plus, nothing beats a first-hand account.

But, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — and Gov. Jim Justice’s statewide stay-at-home order — the West Virginia Public Broadcasting newsroom and other staff are largely working remotely in ways we could not have imagined.

Sure, we realize that news organizations have been deemed essential in the governor’s executive order. But, collectively, we’re trying to slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting the work we are doing outside of our own homes.

The current work-from-home reality presents its own set of challenges. But there are also some perks, too. Each one of us at West Virginia Public Broadcasting is approaching it differently. With that in mind, we thought we could share what reporting the news (and making sure it goes on the air and online) looks like in these times.

The Show Must Go On

Control board operator/production assistant Zander Aloi wiping down the production studio before getting to work.

While the reporting staff can largely work from home, our hosts and production staff don’t always have that luxury. To help keep the news on the air, our engineering team is still checking on transmitters and other equipment in the field. Hosts still have to come to work and are taking extra precautions to keep our studios safe.

Our video production team is also still going out into the field, observing social distancing, of course. Largely, they are shooting outside, updating the IDs you see on our PBS stations.

Dave Mistich, Senior Reporter (Morgantown)

For most of my time at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, I’ve had a steady mix of working from the office and out in the field. As a person who thrives (and, believe it or not, enjoys) the rush of breaking news, it’s kind of a happy medium. A story breaks, I report what I can from my desk, get out to the scene, report some more (file if I can) and then return to the office.

Over the years, I feel like I’ve filed stories from a lot of different places — the state Capitol, hotels, a city council meeting, the sites of industrial and environmental disasters, a Trump rally, my car, literally the middle of a street in Mingo County, a McDonald’s in Summersville or a coffee shop in Parkersburg. The most uninteresting place, of course, has been my home.

Sometimes news just happens when a person is at home and they have to take care of it. But reporting on this pandemic feels different.

Aside from the slight burden of not being on the scene and relying more heavily on the phone and email for sourcing, my days aren’t all that much different in practice. To be sure, things are certainly a bit more difficult (not getting a question in during a conference call, not getting a response to a call or an email and the occasional tech failure, etc.).

The upshot, though, is that I was authorized to bring home an additional monitor and some other equipment that makes my life easier. I’ve also created a system in which I can attend a virtual news conference, transcribe it in real time and record the audio for a story. (It’s all about efficiency, baby.)

I can also #alwaysbesnacking — and I can always find a reprieve from the news cycle with my Playstation 4. But my biggest concern falls outside of work: making sure that my girlfriend, who works as a nurse in the emergency department at Ruby Memorial, has everything she needs when she gets off work and is as safe as possible when she heads to the hospital. (Disinfecting wipes are like gold in my house.)

If this is the “new normal” for a while, I suppose I will enjoy this newfound introvertedness. Really, though, I’m just ready to hang out with my friends again and play some softball.

Kara Lofton, Appalachia Health News Coordinator (Charleston)

About two weeks before the coronavirus pandemic really took hold, I called interim news director Glynis Board and asked to use the rest of my leave to work part time for a couple of weeks. I had come back from maternity leave in January and had been working from home with my infant. I was really struggling with it, but my husband and I were waiting to put our baby in daycare because of the bad flu season, wanting her immune system to build up a bit. Ha. Remember the flu?

I went part-time for about two weeks. Now, I probably work 60 hours a week. I’m WVPB’s lead health reporter reporte in the middle of a pandemic, and I have mastered the art of breastfeeding while conducting an interview. Joke is on me.

It’s a juggling act around here. I have four large dogs who take protecting the yard from cats very seriously, and a 7-month-old baby who is attracted to anything cord-related like a magnet. My husband is an ER nursem and is finishing up a nurse practitioner degree this spring, so most of the time, I try to schedule interviews during naptime and pray the baby doesn’t decide to babble when it is my turn to ask a question during the governor’s virtual press conferences.

Most of my days are spent working in five-minute increments: edit a story, feed the baby, write a spot, walk the dogs. Working parents, I see you.

If you want a glimpse into my life tune into the biweekly coronavirus Facebook lives I’ve been hosting — you’ll see peeks of my husband and dogs ducking out of the background!

Caitlin Tan, Folkways and Southern Coalfields reporter (Charleston)

It’s been a strange few weeks at the Tan household. I’ve never worked from home for such a long stretch of time, and it’s been the best and the worst. The No. 1 highlight: My two dogs are so happy. We have been spending all of our time together. They patiently lay beside me as I type away, my lunch break has become an hour for us to take walks around the neighborhood, and treat time has become much more frequent — for them and me.

My boyfriend, Sam, lives with me and he’s been working from home, too. Surprisingly we are not sick of each other yet! We work in separate rooms and take turns making lunch and breakfast for each other, which is great — although he’s taken a strong liking to Spam, which is not great.

There are downsides with working from home. First, the way I work, primarily including gathering audio for my stories, has completely changed. Since I can’t go out and record people in person, I’ve been having sources record themselves on their phones, including everyday things like baking with their kids or feeding theor animals. It weirdly feels like I’m giving people homework.

And the other snag is that strange feeling that my life and work have collided, and it’s just one continuous loop in which weekends don’t really matter. I’ve been trying to do a lot of artwork and cardio to break up the monotony. It’s not lost on me just how fortunate I am to be healthy and still have a job, so that helps me check my privilege as well.

Brittany Patterson, Energy & Environment Reporter (Morgantown)

Much to the chagrin of my partner, I’ve totally taken over our kitchen table as my new home office. And the dog has taken it upon himself to find the squeakiest toy and loudly play with it EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I have an interview or record something.

Daily walks in our neighborhood are really important, as is finding time to exercise. A lot of baking is happening, which means my snack game is strong. (These cookies broke the internet for a reason.) One thing I’m trying to do is check in with my colleagues and be transparent when I need to take a break. Trying to find balance is key right now. Another thing that keeps me going are the stories of hope and resilience shared with us here at WVPB.

Emily Allen, Statehouse & Southern West Virginia Reporter (Charleston)

If you listen closely, you can probably hear my cats begging for food in the background of my radio pieces.

When I moved to Charleston and picked out an apartment last year, “DIY recording studio” was not the first thing that crossed my mind after I saw the closet space.

Fast forward 10 months and here I am, sitting on a kitchen stool between two sweaters with my laptop balanced on a mobile shoe cart, which my cats usually end up knocking down mid-recording.

Times are dark and the things we’re covering aren’t easy. I miss my friends, and I’m scared for my family out West. I worry endlessly for my loved ones who are essential workers, who can’t prop up a stool in their closet and call it a workspace.

But I am so grateful to still have a job reporting on West Virginians making a difference in their communities.

Hearing real voices and meeting new people from all over the state is my favorite thing about working for WVPB. As the trees change colors and flowers bloom around Charleston, I long to load up the car with my radio gear and spend a day in the field, having face-to-face conversations and learning more about this gorgeous, welcoming state.

In the meantime, slow jogs along the Kanawha river and hikes in the state forest will do.