New Family Treatment Court in Boone, Randolph and Ohio Counties

On this West Virginia Morning, a few counties throughout the state are implementing a new kind of court for families dealing with abuse and neglect cases. We also bring you a preview of this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia on waterways and this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

Starting next week, after Mon. Sept. 2, courts in Boone, Randolph and Ohio counties will begin accepting referrals for a newly approved Family Treatment Court. Families facing abuse and neglect petitions will have the option to seek treatment and make other life improvements, to be reunified with their kids and avoid termination of parental rights. Last week, reporter Emily Allen spent the day in Boone County, observing how family treatment court might make a difference.

This weekend on Inside Appalachia, we spend time on waterways and consider the good and the ugly aspects of current water realities. When Eric Gardner is at work, he sees a lot of garbage in the river. He works as an underwater diver, repairing tow boats that drive barges along the rivers in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Eric Douglas brings us this story from the Kanawha River.

Our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes from the blue-collar rockers Bottle Rockets. Here’s their song “Stovall’s Grove.”

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

Our Appalachia Health News project is made possible with support from CAMC and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Caitlin Tan, Jessica Lilly, Kara Lofton, Liz McCormick, Dave Mistich, Brittany Patterson, Eric Douglas, Cory Knollinger, Emily Allen, and Roxy Todd.

Our news director is Jesse Wright. Our producer is Glynis Board.