Government Story Archives - Page 9 of 1198 - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

State Senator Removed From Committees After Indecent Exposure Arrest

West Virginia state Sen. Mike Maroney, R-Marshall, was charged with indecent exposure on Tuesday. Glen Dale Police say he was arrested after a lottery room surveillance camera caught him in “an overt act of sexual gratification” on Sunday.

Following the arrest Maroney was removed as chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources. Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said in a statement that he is both concerned and disappointed.

“To give him appropriate time to dedicate to his personal issues,” Blair said, “I have removed him as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Resources and have relieved him of all other committee responsibilities.”

Blair noted that the incident is still under investigation, and Maroney is innocent of the crime until proven guilty.

“If true, this allegation is obviously not up to the standard of what we expect from our elected leaders in the State Senate of West Virginia,” Blair said.

In 2019 Mike Maroney was arrested and charged with soliciting a prostitute.

Maroney lost his primary election, and was absent during the May special session.

A Culture Of Violence At Southern Regional Jail, This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, two more former corrections officers with the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver pled guilty last week for their role in the beating death of an inmate in March 2022.

On this West Virginia Morning, two more former corrections officers with the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver pled guilty last week for their role in the beating death of an inmate in March 2022. That leaves four more defendants facing trial in October.

Maria Young caught up with U.S. Attorney Will Thompson of the Southern District of West Virginia to learn more about the efforts to change what he sees as a culture of violence at that facility – and possibly others.

Also this episode, a new statewide program is rewarding improved child and community health outcomes. Chris Schulz 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.

Maria Young 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

More Than $1M Distributed To Fund Anti-Violence Against Women Programs

Twenty-one projects in West Virginia will receive a total of $1,124,446 from the STOP (Services, Training, Officers and Prosecutors) Violence Against Women program.

This is a federally funded program. According to the Department of Justice website, “Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent for law enforcement, 25 percent for prosecutors, 30 percent for victim services (of which at least 10 percent must be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations), 5 percent to state and local courts and 15 percent for discretionary distribution.”

The purpose of these funds is to establish or enhance teams that include victim service providers, law enforcement and prosecution to improve the criminal justice system’s response to violence against women.

The grants provide personnel, equipment, training, technical assistance and information systems for the establishment or enhancement of these teams. Additionally, statewide projects are funded to provide training and educational opportunities for all victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecution and court personnel throughout West Virginia.

These funds are provided by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, and are administered by the Justice and Community Services Section of the West Virginia Division of Administrative Services.

Funds were awarded to the following:

West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc. — $46,645
These funds will provide outreach, training and technical assistance opportunities for STOP Teams, advocates, employers, communities of faith and other allied professionals.

West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services — $171,074
These funds will assist in strengthening services for sexual assault and stalking victims through enhanced training, collaboration, resource development and technical assistance.

Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia — $56,694
These funds will provide for the expansion of the Victim Outreach Remote Technology Project to improve the court’s response to violent crimes against women through training and increasing virtual access to the state court system for victims and survivors.

West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute — $74,280
These funds will be used to continue to develop and strengthen prosecution strategies and best practices, as well as improve prosecution-based victim services in cases involving violence against women.

Putnam County Commission — $27,332
These funds will provide for the continuation of domestic violence investigation, follow up services and training.

Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center — $66,564
These funds will provide for the development of best practices for survivors, and create participation in meetings, collaborations, training and awareness events.

Rape and Domestic Violence Information Center — $30,424
These funds will provide for the development of best practices for survivors and allowing participation in meetings, collaborations, training, and awareness events.

Comprehensive Women’s Service Council, Inc. — $62,560
These funds will help build a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking, holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Comprehensive Women’s Service Council, Inc. — $32,709
These funds will help build a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking, and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Comprehensive Women’s Service Council, Inc. — $39,104
These funds will help build a more coordinated and informed community response to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking, holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Branches Domestic Violence Shelter, Inc. — $106,065
These funds will provide comprehensive assistance to victims of violence, sexual assault and stalking in Cabell County by providing effective prosecution, victimadvocacy, legal advocacy, crisis intervention, support services, training and evidence collection.

Family Refuge Center — $31,634
These funds will be used to improve and enhance advocacy for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and teen dating violence through collaboration in Greenbrier County.

Family Refuge Center — $30,692
These funds will be used to improve and enhance advocacy for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and teen dating violence through collaboration in Monroe County.

Tug Valley Recovery Shelter Association, Inc. — $80,345
These funds will provide services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence.

HOPE, Inc. — $59,373
These funds will be used to continue a multidisciplinary approach to fighting the problems of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence.

HOPE, Inc. — $49,376
These funds will be used to continue a multidisciplinary approach to fighting the problems of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, elder abuse and human trafficking.

Women’s Aid in Crisis, Inc. — $22,550
These funds will be used to provide services to end violence against women by working together as a multidisciplinary team to provide unduplicated, continuous, safe, trauma- informed and victim-centered services with specific outreach to underserved women.

Family Crisis Intervention Center — $19,667
These funds will provide for the continuation to support a full-time advocate addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking.

Family Crisis Intervention Center — $17,147
These funds will provide for the continuation to support a full-time advocate addressing the needs of victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking and human trafficking.

Ohio County Commission — $75,775
The funds will provide for a multi-agency approach in addressing the ever-present problems of family violence in general and violence against women specifically.

Logan County Commission — $24,436
These funds will provide a part-time assistant prosecuting attorney dedicated to the prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence. It will also provide overtime pay for deputies to serve domestic violence petitions.

Campus Carry Brings Changes To Stadium Security, Fan Experience

With the fall athletic season ready to kick off, universities are making the final adjustments to ensure a safe season.

Senate Bill 10 – more commonly known as the Campus Carry Bill – has been implemented on all of the state’s higher education campuses since July. But as students begin to return to campus, one of the law’s major exceptions is beginning to take shape for college sports fans.

The creation of Senate Bill 10 during the 2023 legislative session ultimately included several exceptions to where and when concealed carry permit holders can have their handguns on campus. Campus carry does not extend to disciplinary hearings, for example, in daycare centers or at events with 1,000 or more attendants.

That last exception most notably applies to almost all collegiate sporting events. And with the fall athletic season ready to kick off, universities are making the final adjustments to ensure a safe season.

Ryan Crisp is the associate athletic director for annual giving, ticket sales and fan engagement for Marshall University. He said it quickly became clear that the university would need to implement more comprehensive screening of fans entering stadiums.

“So we knew we needed an expanded concourse, which is why we built the fences,” Crisp said. “We have to have the open gate weapon detectors upon entry to screen our patrons and our fans, and then the no re-entry comes about, just with for one, getting us in line with most Division One universities and concert venues, while also – from a crowd management standpoint – allowing entry into our venues and making sure that we can screen everyone in a timely manner and proper.”

Marshall’s ‘Safe To Stay With The Herd’ initiative includes, as Crisp mentioned, expanded fencing at Joan C. Edward Stadium — placing security checkpoints further away from the stadium — and opening gates 30 minutes earlier than normal. Crisp said the changes should not impact entry, and that the university is taking advantage of the extra fenced-in area to not only ensure fan safety, but to also create a better fan experience with food trucks, a Family Zone and a memorabilia display.

“We understand that for some fans, this is going to be a change for them and a change in their behavior from what they’ve done for a very long time,” Crisp said. “But, you know, we really try to invest in the experience within the stadium, to try to make it as enjoyable as possible.”

In a statement emailed to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Fairmont State University said the law’s 1,000-person minimum capacity requirement will mean Duvall-Rosier Field and Joe Retton Arena will both be gun-free zones during all events. Attendees will be notified of this via event advertising and signage, and uniformed law enforcement will be on hand for events at these facilities.

Our Board Policy GA-08 prohibits “all Deadly Weapons, including Concealed Pistols and Revolvers” … “at an organized event taking place at a stadium or arena with a capacity of more than 1,000 spectators”. As a result,

Fairmont State’s Duvall-Rosier Field and Joe Retton Area will both be gun-free zones during all events. Attendees will be notified of this via event advertising, signage throughout campus including parking areas and event specific signage. As always, uniformed law enforcement will be on hand for events at these facilities.

Fairmont State remains focused on using the implementation of “Campus Carry” to model the type of society we want to live in: A society in which conversations about difficult topics occur in a respectful and constructive fashion. A society in which all parties’ rights are respected and their concerns are heard.

To do so, the University will be requesting feedback from students, faculty, and staff related to Campus Carry implementation throughout the semester. This will allow the conversation to continue and policy adjustments to be made as needed.
– Fairmont State University

April Kaull is the executive director of communications for University Relations at West Virginia University, and also serves as the chair of the university’s Campus Safety Communications Committee. She said WVU has not adjusted its entry times or fencing, and fans should not notice a change other than having to walk through metal detectors.

“The process isn’t going to be like what some people would be familiar with at an airport,” Kaull said. “For example, fans aren’t going to have to empty out their clear bags or their pockets. They won’t have to put their cell phones, their keys, you know, other belongings in a little tray separately. They’ll just be able to walk right through these detectors, and it’s only if the detector signals through its light and alarm system that additional attention is necessary.”

For fans who are legally carrying concealed, both Kaull and Crisp confirmed that there will not be storage options for handguns in athletic facilities. Kaull emphasized that as Campus Carry continues to be implemented, it’s important for staff, faculty and fans to all familiarize themselves with the new reality.

“Do a little research in advance, visit our campus carry website. Get a sense of where campus carry is and is not permitted under the law and our Board of Governors’ rule,” Kaull said. “The website has a lot of information, including that interactive map and a list of locations and buildings, and if they have any concern or question about whether a pistol or revolver is going to be permitted where they are going, then probably the best advice is to play it safe and leave it in your vehicle, or don’t bring it to begin with, because there won’t be places on campus once you’re here to stow it if you find yourself having to be in an area where it’s not permitted.”

The fall athletic season kicks off this week with men and women’s soccer events, and the football season kicks off the final weekend in August.

W.Va. Supreme Court Upholds Removal Of Jefferson County Commissioners From Office

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals upheld a circuit court decision Wednesday that removed two county commissioners from office. The Circuit Court of Jefferson County relieved Jefferson County Commissioners Jennifer Krouse and Tricia Jackson of their duties May 1.

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals upheld a circuit court decision Wednesday that removed two county commissioners from office.

The Circuit Court of Jefferson County relieved Jefferson County Commissioners Jennifer Krouse and Tricia Jackson of their duties May 1.

The decision came after Krouse and Jackson, both Republicans, refused to attend weeks of meetings last fall to protest vacancy-filling proceedings they described as unfair.

Last November, Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Harvey, also a Republican, filed a circuit court petition to have the commissioners removed from office, arguing that they “willfully failed or refused to perform their official duties.”

The circuit court ruled in Harvey’s favor, but Krouse and Jackson appealed the decision to the state’s Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Harvey filed a motion this month to expedite the court’s decision to clarify how to proceed with selecting their replacements entering this fall’s election.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court declared Wednesday that “after careful review of all filings and the record on appeal,” it “does affirm” the circuit court’s order, meaning Krouse and Jackson cannot resume office.

In a separate case, both commissioners were also charged with 42 misdemeanors for their refusal to attend meetings last year. Krouse and Jackson continued to collect their salaries during this period, and the county commission was unable to pass decisions due to a lack of quorum.

Meanwhile, Krouse and Jackson’s seats on the Jefferson County Commission have since been filled through appointments by the sitting commission members.

Commissioner Kevin Upson now represents the Harpers Ferry District, and Commissioner James Cook now represents the Shepherdstown District.

Luxury Hotel Planned For Harpers Ferry Gets Special Tax Status

The Jefferson County Commission voted unanimously to grant a luxury hotel project a special tax status. The hotel will assume the site of a historic hotel that fell into disrepair.

Years in the making, a luxury hotel planned for Harpers Ferry has just moved closer to becoming a reality.

The Jefferson County Commission voted unanimously to grant the Hill Top House Hotel the status of tax increment financing (TIF) district on Aug. 1. The TIF program grants financial support to development projects in areas that are considered to be in need of revitalization.

The project is planned for the site of a historic nineteenth-century Harpers Ferry hotel that overlooks the Potomac River. The property fell into disrepair by the early twenty-first century.

Sites within a TIF district have their property value frozen for a number of years, during which property owners can develop on those sites without facing increased property taxes. This aims to help businesses and development projects get off the ground with fewer starting costs.

In an April email to West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Karen Schaufeld, CEO of SWaN & Legend Venture Partners — the Virginia-based investment group leading the project — said receiving a TIF district designation was a “financial necessity” to complete the project.

But the project has been repeatedly stalled by some community members’ concerns that it is too large in scale for the small community, fitted with an underground parking garage, on-site restaurant and public green space.

Sitting commissioners have voiced support for the project, but some expressed logistical concerns over the speed of the TIF district application process. Ultimately, those concerns were outweighed by the commission’s support for the project, affirmed by its unanimous vote this week.

In the months ahead, SWaN executives will work through bond agreements with the Jefferson County Commission, as reported by local newspaper Spirit of Jefferson.

While there is no set timeline for when the hotel’s construction will begin, SWaN executives estimate it will take up to two years to complete.