Charleston Story Archives - Page 2 of 40 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Fire Hydrant Task Force Launched By Public Service Commision

The Public Service Commission (PSC) launched a task force to address antiquated and defective fire hydrants — like the three fire hydrants that failed to deliver water while a West Side, Charleston house burned down.

Updated on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 5:15 p.m.

The homeowner filed a lawsuit against water utility West Virginia American Water. The utility is arguing that it was not their responsibility to guarantee functioning fire hydrants.

A few months after the fire, the PSC launched an investigation into fire hydrants across the state. The investigation depended on utilities to report working fire hydrants. In October, Charlotte Lane, chair of the PSC, asked the West Virginia Legislature to grant the PSC regulatory power over the fire hydrants and asked for a fiscal note for testing.

What the commission got in the end was a bill creating a task force that brings stakeholders and experts to the table to make fire hydrants the responsibility of water utilities — officially.

“People hadn’t really focused on fire hydrants,” Lane said. “The incident on the West Side did bring it into focus and we determined that there was no clear cut law as to who was responsible.”

Lane said the task force will be made up of stakeholders like the West Virginia Rural Water Association, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner, county commissioners and fire chiefs.

The task force will meet and discuss adopting national standards for fire hydrants in the state, and review and process rules for managing fire hydrants. Lane said that for fire hydrants, age is just a number, and that “float” testing will determine if the hydrants are adequately functioning.

“I think the magic is that the fire hydrants pass the inspection and the flow testing, and then no matter how old they are, if the water pressure is there, then the fire hydrant should be okay,” Lane said.

Safer fire hydrants could translate into higher water costs for some utilities customers.

“Seems to me that anything dealing with infrastructure today is very expensive,” Lane said. “But that’s one of the facts of life that we need to keep up on.”

She said that if water utilities do not have fire hydrant management and care built into their rates, or if new regulations result in the utilities investing money into hydrants, then it’s possible that utilities will raise rates.

“If that happens, we will scrutinize their numbers. And we will rule on whether or not increases are necessary,” Lane said.

Gov. Jim Justice signed the legislation into law Wednesday.

Cutbacks In The U.S. Postal Service And A Reporter Roundtable On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, the United States Postal Service (USPS) held a public hearing in Charleston last week where officials discussed their plans to downsize a local mail processing facility. But union representatives came away from the hearing with questions left unanswered. Now, they say their trust in the USPS has only further eroded.

On this West Virginia Morning, the United States Postal Service (USPS) held a public hearing in Charleston last week where officials discussed their plans to downsize a local mail processing facility. But union representatives came away from the hearing with questions left unanswered. Now, they say their trust in the USPS has only further eroded. Jack Walker has the story.

Also, in this show, in our most recent episode of The Legislature Today, we had our weekly reporter roundtable. Last week, Brad McElhinny from West Virginia MetroNews joined Randy Yohe and Curtis Tate in our studio to discuss the governor’s latest legal trouble and the library obscenity bill, among other things.

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 Shepherd University.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

The Fall Of AppHarvest, Inside Appalachia

When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called it a grueling hell on earth. We also explore an island of Japanese culture in West Virginia called Yama.

When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called it a grueling hell on earth.

We also explore an island of Japanese culture in West Virginia called Yama.

And fish fries have been a staple in Charleston, West Virginia’s Black community for years. We visit one and learn a little about what’s made them so popular.

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

The Rise And Fall Of AppHarvest
Japanese Homestyle Haven In Morgantown
Fish Fries, An African-American Tradition In Charleston, WV
Remembering the WV Water Crisis 10 Years Later

The Rise And Fall Of AppHarvest

When AppHarvest built its first greenhouse in 2020, it was touted as no less than the future of farming — and even Appalachia itself. The start-up would use cutting-edge technology and local workers to produce vegetables on an industrial scale. But then, last year, the company filed for bankruptcy.

Austyn Gaffney recently reported on the downfall of AppHarvest, in a story for Grist. Mason Adams talks with Gaffney to learn more.

Japanese Homestyle Haven In Morgantown

Staff member Ryoko Kijimoto serves up rich rice bowls and ramen in Yama’s diner atmosphere.

*Credit: Min Kim*

High Street in Morgantown, West Virginia is a bustling strip. Tucked away off the main drag is a place called Yama, a cozy diner that’s been serving up homestyle Japanese food since the 1990s. Japanese students and staff share their language, culture and food. It’s also a place of comfort and connection for everyone.

Folkways Reporter Lauren Griffin has the story.

Fish Fries, An African-American Tradition In Charleston, W.Va.

Andre Nazario

*Credit: Leeshia Lee/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Signs for fish fries are pretty common in Charleston, West Virginia, especially in the city’s Black community, where they’ve become a tradition.

Folkways Fellow, Leeshia Lee, grew up in Charleston and says friends and neighbors frequently hosted fish fries, often as a way to raise money for community needs. Lee has the story.

Remembering The W.Va. Water Crisis 10 Years Later

Kallie Cart reporting on the January 2014 West Virginia water crisis.

*Credit: Kallie Cart/WCHS-TV*

Ten years ago, a chemical spill in Charleston, West Virginia’s Elk River contaminated the drinking water of hundreds of thousands of people. The disaster became a national story, about corporate distrust and community action.

WVPB’s Randy Yohe spoke with Kallie Cart, a former broadcast reporter who covered the crisis and went viral after one particular exchange.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Chris Knight, Tim Bing, Amythyst Kiah, Jeff Ellis and Bob Thompson.

Bill Lynch is our producer. Zander Aloi is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.

You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

PSC Staff Says Water Company Slow To Share Data

The PSC’s staff filed a motion last week to compel West Virginia American Water to provide the information it requested in early December.

The West Virginia Public Service Commission’s staff says West Virginia American Water hasn’t shared the information it requested regarding a November water leak and gas outage in Charleston.

The PSC’s staff filed a motion last week to compel West Virginia American Water to provide the information it requested in early December.

PSC staff had asked the company to reply by Dec. 26. In its filing last week, the PSC staff says West Virginia American Water had failed to provide much of the requested information.

It accused the company of throwing “shade” on the PSC staff’s general investigation of the November event, which left hundreds of West Side residents without gas service, in some cases for weeks.

West Virginia American Water, in a subsequent filing, says a meeting will be scheduled this week with PSC staff to resolve the issues they raised.

In December, Mountaineer Gas sued West Virginia American Water, alleging that water from a broken main on Nov. 10 flooded its gas lines with water.

West Virginia American water has said it’s premature to pin the gas outages on the water main failure. It also said it would cooperate with the PSC investigation.

A Human Trafficking Survivor From W.Va. Shares Her Story, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, our news department this week has looked at human trafficking in the state. For this final installment, we’ll hear a survivor story.

On this West Virginia Morning, our news department this week has looked at human trafficking in the state. For this final installment, we’ll hear a survivor story.

Also, in this show, Mountaineer Gas said it has restored 100 percent of water-filled gas lines on the West Side of Charleston. But many residents are still without heat, and the outages are taking a toll on the community. Briana Heaney has the story.

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 Shepherd University.

Eric Douglas produced this episode.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

Charleston Officials Ask PSC To Pause Gas And Water Rate Increases

If the PSC approves the increases for both companies, they would take effect in a matter of weeks. City officials want the PSC to at least delay the increases for West Side residents until April 1.

City officials in Charleston want to pause water and gas rate increases for local residents in the wake of recent outages.

Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin and members of the city council have asked the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject or delay proposed rate increases by West Virginia American Water and Mountaineer Gas.

If the PSC approves the increases for both companies, they would take effect in a matter of weeks. City officials want the PSC to at least delay the increases for West Side residents until April 1.

Hundreds of residents on the West Side lost gas service on Nov. 10 when a high-pressure water main burst, flooding gas lines with water.

As of Tuesday, Mountaineer Gas had restored service to 1,000 customers and about 90 percent of the 46 miles of affected gas lines.