Harrison County Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

State Politicians Voice Support For Harrison County Student Athletes Protesting Inclusion Of Transgender Student

Multiple West Virginia politicians have voiced their support of student athletes protesting a transgender student’s inclusion in a track and field event.

Five students forfeited a shot-put competition on April 18 at the 2024 Harrison County Middle School Championships track and field meet in protest of a Fourth Circuit decision that House Bill 3293 violated Title IX protections for gender equality in school sports.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said last week that he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to consider BPJ vs. West Virginia State Board of Education.

Parents for four of the students have since filed suit against the Harrison County Board of Education in Harrison County Circuit Court after the students were not permitted to compete in a scheduled track and field meet on April 27.

The West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission (WVSSAC) rule book states in its section on sportsmanship that teams, coaches and attendants are required “to remain in or a part of a contest until its normal end as provided by the National Federation Rules of that particular sport.” Failure to do so, it goes on, “will not only involve ejection during that particular contest but shall also involve that student, coach or team attendant not being a part of that school’s team for the next regularly scheduled contest(s) or post season progression in a playoff tournament, as regulated in §127-4-3.7.3.”

Tuesday evening, Morrisey released a statement in support of the students, highlighting a brief he filed in favor of their suit.

“The only thing this decision does is teach these children to keep their mouths shut and not disagree with what they saw as unfairness,” he said. “That is outrageous and it tramples these students’ rights to freedom of speech and expression.”

Morrisey’s amicus brief argues that “the Code of State Rules’ provisions for handling a protest action do not justify the Defendants’ actions here, and the Free Speech implications of the school’s actions are deeply concerning.”

Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, also released a statement condemning Harrison County Schools’ actions on behalf of the Senate Majority Caucus.

“Despite that procedure being clearly defined in the Code of State Rules, Harrison County Schools unilaterally decided to punish these female students by prohibiting them from competing in their next track meet,” the statement reads. “By refusing to adhere to these standards, Harrison County Schools is showing a galling lack of concern for the free-speech considerations of those students, as well as the safety of those students, because of unfair competition with males.”

Congressman Alex Mooney also released a statement regarding the “attack on women’s sports in Harrison County.”

“It is completely outrageous for a school board and coaches to punish girls for standing up for women’s sports. Young women should not be forced to compete against young men. It is asinine and unbelievable that a school in West Virginia, not California, would adopt this woke nonsense,” Mooney said.

Morrisey Asks U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Transgender Athlete Ban

The Supreme Court last year declined to take the case when Morrisey asked.

West Virginia’s attorney general will again ask the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the state’s ban on transgender student athletes.

Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Wednesday he’d ask the justices to consider BPJ vs. West Virginia State Board of Education.

The Supreme Court last year declined to take the case when Morrisey asked. That was before the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, ruled that the law, House Bill 3293, violated Title IX protections for gender equality in school sports.

There is no guarantee the justices will be any more inclined to hear the case now.

“We will be filing, over the next month, and we’re going to make sure we time our filing to maximize the chance this case is going to be heard, and most importantly, that we will win,” he said.

Morrisey, who’s running for governor in the Republican primary, appeared with former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, who’s become a national figure in the opposition to transgender women and girls participating in school sports.

The campaigns of Morrisey and another Republican candidate, Chris Miller, have been airing competing advertisements declaring each candidate has the stronger position against transgender student athletes.

Another Republican rival, Secretary of State Mac Warner, said Wednesday that Morrisey should step away from the case because he lost the appeal to the Fourth Circuit.

“He should voluntarily step aside and allow competent legal counsel to defend the West Virginia law that was overwhelmingly passed by the WV Legislature and signed by Governor Justice,” Warner said.

Meanwhile, the 13-year-old student in Harrison County, Becky Pepper Jackson, continues to participate on her school’s track team.

Jack Jarvis, communications director for Fairness West Virginia, said Morrisey’s statements about transgender youth contribute to a hostile environment with increased harassment, bullying and discrimination.

“Transgender women are women, period,” Jarvis said. “If you want to support women, you need to support all women. Becky and all of the other trans youth across our state deserve to fully participate in school activities and athletic events.”

Whole Blood Transfusions In Ambulances Could Save Lives In Two W.Va. Counties

More life-saving methods are available on ambulances in two West Virginia counties.

The state Department of Health announced Tuesday that West Virginia is the first state in the country to provide statewide protocols for the administration of whole blood on ambulances.

According to the Department of Health’s Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services, Joseph Ratliff, whole blood transfusions help restore a patient’s blood volume and clotting function much faster than traditional blood component therapy.

Ratliff said administering whole blood to trauma patients can significantly improve their chances of survival.

“Bleeding is often an early cause of death when it comes to trauma patients, but it doesn’t have to be,” Ratliff said. “I’m pleased to see these two counties stepping up to answer the call by providing this lifesaving service to residents.”

Cabell County EMS started offering the service in November of 2023, and in March of 2024, Harrison County also began carrying whole blood on ambulances.

Paramedics delivering whole blood on ambulances in these two counties are trained to administer the transfusion.

To expand the program, the state needs more blood donations. To make an appointment, donors may download the Red Cross Blood Donor App and use “Rapid Pass” which speeds up the time it takes to donate by allowing donors to fill out the questionnaire online.

Donors may also make an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS 1-800-733-2767.

Mon Power’s Harrison Plant Tops EPA’s Toxic Release List Statewide

Out of 177 facilities statewide, the Mon Power Harrison Power Station ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory.

A power plant in Harrison County releases more toxic material into the air than any other facility in the state, according to federal data.

Out of 177 facilities statewide, the Mon Power Harrison Power Station ranks first on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory.

The plant is responsible for 7.4 million pounds of toxic releases into the air and water every year.

Sulfuric acid accounts for most of what the plant releases into the air, and ammonia into the water.

Hannah Catlett, a spokeswoman for Mon Power parent FirstEnergy, said the company complies with all environmental regulations.

The next four facilities on the Toxic Release Inventory are also coal-burning power plants, but all four release fewer than 3 million pounds annually.

The four are the Pleasants Power Station, now operated by Omnis Technologies; Appalachian Power’s John Amos plant; Mon Power’s Fort Martin Power Station and Dominion Power’s Mount Storm Power Station.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sulfuric acid forms when sulfur dioxide from burning coal, oil and gas reacts with water in the air.

According to a Mon Power fact sheet, the Harrison Power Station is equipped with pollution controls that remove 98 percent of sulfur dioxide from the plant’s emissions.

Less Than Three Weeks Left To Claim Aid For Flood Damages

The deadline to file a federal aid claim over personal property damaged in August 2023 flooding incidents is April 1. West Virginia residents of several counties can receive grants for damages not covered by insurance.

West Virginia residents have until April 1 to claim federal aid for property damages or losses resulting from flash flooding in August 2023.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the deadline for filing claims Wednesday. It applies to residents of Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Harrison and Kanawha counties.

Last summer, flash flooding ravaged homes and businesses across southern and central West Virginia. In January, President Joe Biden declared the incident a major disaster, which allowed residents to claim federal disaster recovery funds through FEMA.

So far, more than $1 million has been allocated to disaster recovery efforts.

FEMA grants do not need to be repaid, and the organization encourages residents to apply for aid even if they have insurance. FEMA does not provide grants for damages covered by insurance, but will subsidize costs not covered through insurance claims.

Although most aid claims focus on structural damages, FEMA can also help cover some specific damages not included in insurance plans. This can include wells, furnaces, private roads, private bridges and septic systems.

For more information on how to file a claim, residents can contact FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Helpline at 1 (800) 621-3362, or visit disaster recovery centers in Boone, Clay, Harrison or Kanawha counties.

To learn more about filing a claim online, visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

FEMA Offers Guidance To Residents Seeking Flood Aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided guidance to residents seeking federal aid after floods ravaged several counties in southern and central West Virginia in August.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has distributed letters to some residents of Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Harrison and Kanawha counties affected by flooding in August 2023.

These letters were distributed to residents who applied for federal relief funds. They outline applicants’ eligibility for funds, and next steps to claim them.

Last summer, flash floods swept southern and central West Virginia, damaging homes and businesses across the counties.

On Jan. 30, President Joe Biden officially declared the flooding incident a major disaster, opening the region and its residents to federal recovery funds. The funds can be applied to home repairs, property loans and more.

Since the disaster declaration, FEMA has allocated more than $1 million to the West Virginia counties. FEMA supplied residents an additional $72,000 cumulatively for other disaster costs like childcare and medical expenses.

FEMA has encouraged individuals affected by the flooding to file insurance claims immediately. Costs not covered by insurance can be covered through FEMA funds, and an end date for the application period has not yet been announced.

For residents who have already submitted their applications, letters from FEMA regarding next steps should have already come, or soon be on their way.

The letters will state if residents need to submit supplemental information to complete their claims, like proof of insurance, proof of occupancy in a house affected by the flooding and proof of ownership of said property.

FEMA encouraged residents to promptly submit necessary supplemental materials and to follow guidance provided in the letters. FEMA also encouraged residents who have not yet filed a claim to do so as soon as possible.

For more information on the eligibility letters, residents can contact FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Helpline at (800) 621-3362, or visit disaster recovery centers in Boone, Clay, Harrison or Kanawha counties.

For more information on the disaster declaration and submitting a federal aid claim, residents can visit fema.gov/disaster/4756.