Squirrels, Red Spruce, And A Legislative Session Wraps Up

State lawmakers wrapped up the 2020 legislative session this weekend in Charleston. We’ll hear about what lawmakers did and didn’t accomplish this year on this West Virginia Morning, plus more…

The West Virginia Legislature wrapped up its 60-day session Saturday at midnight. Top billing this year was an extensive overhaul of the state foster care system and a focus on other health care initiatives. However, some could say the session — which comes ahead of an election cycle — will be remembered for what failed, as much as what was passed. Dave Mistich and Emily Allen recap the 2020 session with this report.

Find all our recent legislative coverage online, including a running blog from Saturday evening that highlights all the last-minute action taken by lawmakers in Charleston over the weekend.

And, it’s not often that a species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act gets off the list. But in 2013, West Virignia’s northern flying squirrel did. While challenges remain, federal biologists say the species continues to do well, in large part due to the restoration of its habitat: red spruce forest. Energy and environment reporter Brittany Patterson recently took a hike in this iconic ecosystem to find out more.

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