On this West Virginia Morning, we explore the pandemic’s impact on drug use. Also, we have updates from the state legislature and a conversation about extreme changes in weather.
The West Virginia House of Delegates has passed a bill protecting businesses, health care providers and individuals from being sued because of the coronavirus pandemic. Dave Mistich has more.
The House of Delegates voted in favor of rolling back regulation of oil and gas tanks under the Aboveground Storage Tank Act. Emily Allen reports.
At a state board of education meeting Wednesday, several of West Virginia’s largest teacher unions had sharp criticism for bills under consideration in the state legislature. Duncan Slade has more.
Kevin Law is a Marshall University professor and West Virginia state climatologist. He also created the meteorology program at Marshall, teaching students to be weather forecasters and broadcasters. From the recent ice and snowstorms to the flooding rains followed by sunny, 70-degree days, the state has seen some wild weather swings recently. Eric Douglas spoke with Law to find out why we’re seeing such extreme changes in weather.
The CDC tracks the coronavirus and related health consequences. A recent report shows that lethal drug overdoses are up. That so-called ‘shadow’ pandemic is the focus of the latest episode of Us & Them, “Fatal Overdoses.” A 24 percent increase in fatal overdoses from 2019 to 2020 makes it the deadliest year ever for drug deaths in America. West Virginia is mirroring that trend with a 34 percent increase. In this excerpt, host Trey Kay talks with Christina Mullins, who is the Commissioner for the state’s Bureau of Behavioral Health.
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