Challenges For Broadband And Vaccines This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, West Virginia’s vaccine rollout has been praised as a major success, but some communities haven’t been so lucky. We explore this issue. Also, we have the latest news from the West Virginia statehouse and broadband challenges in the Ohio Valley.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin are sparring over the $1.9 trillion federal relief plan and the governor’s plan to reduce the state’s personal income tax. WVPB has the latest.

State environmental authorities have contained a blowout at an acid mine drainage treatment facility in Preston County. As Duncan Slade reports, a water pipeline between the abandoned mine and the facility was to blame.

The West Virginia House of Delegates has agreed once more to advance legislation that mandates 50-50 custody of a child for separated parents. But as Emily Allen reports, some advocates for victims of domestic violence say the bill could do more harm than good.

Rural communities around the Ohio Valley have long endured poor internet service. The remote work and study required during the pandemic made that more than just an inconvenience. Now, momentum is building to improve broadband service. Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal and state funding could soon be invested to help build that “last mile” connection to homes and businesses. Liam Niemeyer reports from a small Kentucky town that’s getting tired of waiting.

West Virginia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is being praised as one of the best, not just in the country, but in the world. While a fifth of West Virginians have received their first dose, residents in certain counties aren’t getting vaccinated at those same rates. June Leffler reports on how far behind one county is in the Eastern Panhandle and what’s being done by the state and local health department to fix it.

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