State of Emergency Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Another County School District Is Placed Under State Control

Mingo is the sixth county school district to be taken over by the state in less than three years.

The West Virginia Board of Education declared a state of emergency in Mingo County Schools at their monthly meeting Wednesday.

Alexandra Criner, director of the Office of Accountability for the West Virginia Department of Education, said her office has received and responded to a plethora of calls, emails and letters dating back to 2022 relating to Mingo County Schools.

“The review is ongoing, but we were asked to provide an update to this board today on the findings,” she said. “Thus far to date, we have interviewed most of the central office staff and all five board members. We’ve also reviewed board meeting agendas, minutes and recordings, and we’ve received calls from various stakeholders in Mingo County.” Criner said.

Criner said a pattern has already emerged.

“When taken as a whole, this pattern of complaints and infighting amongst the adults paints a picture of a school system and most importantly, the children within that system, caught in a political crossfire,” she said. “The progress that has been made in academic achievement and the hard work of the students and staff have been overshadowed.”

Board member Paul Hardesty noted that this is now the third time Mingo County Schools has been placed under state control since 1998.

“And the reason they took over, there’s a consistent theme, and all of that lies in number four of the superintendent’s recommendations, ‘that the Mingo County Board of Education failed to act on a statutory obligation which interrupted the day-to-day operations of the school system,’” he said. “That is a constant recurring fact in each of the takeovers of Mingo County Schools.”

The action comes just one month after the board declared a state of emergency for Pocahontas County Schools, and makes Mingo the sixth county to be taken over by the state in less than three years.

As part of the intervention, the board approved a request from Michele Blatt, the state superintendent, to remove the current county superintendent by June 30. Blatt will appoint a new superintendent for the district.

Other Business

Ahead of the administration of West Virginia General Summative Assessments this spring, the board also heard about the state’s new ‘View My Assessment’ portal. Vaughn Rhudy, director of the Office of Assessment for the West Virginia Department of Education, said students and parents previously had to wait until the fall to receive standardized test results in the mail.

“I’m pleased to announce that things will be different this spring,” Rhudy said. “For the West Virginia Summative Assessment in grades three through eight, shortly after students complete a content area test, the students and their parents will be able to log into an online portal and view their results. In fact, in most cases, the scores will appear the next day.”

Rhudy said families will not be able to see averages on the same timeline, but will also be able to see those numbers sooner than before.

“We don’t want to put that out right now, because that’s being suppressed until like June 30,” Rhudy said. “That’s going to constantly change as students complete the test, over the year, over the state, at different times that that information is going to change. And we don’t want that to be misleading.”

Board member Debra Sullivan asked how families without a computer could access test results from a portal. Rhudy said the portal can be accessed from any device with internet access, but test results will still be sent home via mail as before.

Blatt also took time to acknowledge the hard work of districts affected by flooding last month. She reported that Mingo and McDowell counties returned all schools to their traditional school schedules Tuesday.

The WVDE reports that staff supported these counties by providing guidance to ensure students and families were fed and had access to essential supports, as well as sending delegations to the counties to deliver goods and work in the relief shelters.

The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Building 6, Suite 600, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East, Charleston, West Virginia.

One Confirmed W.Va. Flooding Fatality, 13 Counties In State Of Emergency

At least one person in West Virginia has died due to flooding, Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed Monday. He said 13 counties in the state are in a state of emergency with the amount of structural damage expected to rise.

Late Monday morning, Gov. Patrick Morrisey confirmed that at least one person in West Virginia has died due to flooding.

“We have one confirmed fatality at this time,” Morrisey said. “We’re obviously going to work to hold off on the identity of that person until the family gets notified. Then, we will provide that to you. There are still several people who are missing, and when we learn more information about that, we will also let you know.”

Morrisey said there have been more than 38 swift water rescues around the state. He said the extent of structural damage due to flooding continues to rise.

“As many know the Tug Fork River and the Bluestone River and some of our tributaries have experienced major flooding levels, something we haven’t seen in a very long time,” he said. “That means that there’s damage to significant numbers of structures and roads and significant evacuations to people to higher elevations.”

As of 11 a.m Monday, said Morrisey, about 30,000 people were still without power. Thirteen West Virginia counties remain in a state of emergency, he said, adding that Mingo, McDowell and Mercer Counties appear to be hardest hit. Morrisey said he is working to ensure federal help quickly becomes available.

“I know that I’ve had conversations with the federal government, in particular with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noam, who has pledged to help,” Morrisey said. “I’m very appreciative of that. We know we’re going to be getting good cooperation from the federal government.”

Morrisey said some schools and other facilities in McDowell County have been set up as shelters.

“We know that there are certain shelters in place in McDowell County, at the Mount View High School, at the eastern Methodist Church in Kimball, also at the Reclamation Church in Welch,” he said. “We know that there’s also a shelter in place at the Mingo Field House in Williamson. We already know that over 50,000 water bottles have been deployed to the affected areas. We’re also coordinating with the Red Cross, other local charities, to make sure that all the appropriate resources can be brought to bear and leverage to help people that are most in need.”’

Morrisey said some West Virginia areas got more than five inches of rain over the weekend.

Update: 13 Counties Under State Of Emergency

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Boone, Lincoln, and Wayne counties are now under a State of Emergency as well.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey has spoken to US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, who notified the governor that DHS stands ready to take immediate action to offer resources and support West Virginians affected by flooding.

Original Story

Gov. Patrick Morrisey has declared a State of Emergency amid heavy rains and flooding in Cabell, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Logan, Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, Raleigh, Summers, and Wyoming Counties.

Morrisey is urging all West Virginians to be vigilant and use caution as other parts of the state are affected by adverse weather. He has ordered personnel and resources to mobilize and respond to any emergency and delegated certain administrative powers to the Director of the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) to facilitate the provision of essential emergency services.

A State of Preparedness is already in effect throughout all 55 counties of West Virginia. The National Weather Service has issued Flash Flood Warnings, Flood Watches and Flood Warnings in certain areas of the state.

National Weather Service Forecast At 8 a.m. Sunday

Cold front crosses today, flooding to continue. Snow to end event.

A strong low pressure system approaches from the west, pushing a cold front across the area this morning. Another round of rainfall is likely as the cold front crosses. This system has already produced significant and catastrophic flooding across portions of the area. River flooding will likely persist into Monday. Temperatures turn cold later today behind this front leading to snowfall across portions of the area. Areas of blowing snow could be possible across the mountains as gusty NW winds arrive. Very cold and bitter air arrives this week with a Canadian system. 30s, 20s and teens as high temperatures are likely through Friday; overnight lows in the teens and single digits will be common. Watching an unfolding snow event that looks possible mid-week.

Check National Weather Service Watches, Warnings, or Advisories for all areas of West Virginia here:

National Weather Service Charleston

National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington (Eastern Panhandle)

National Weather Service Blacksburg (Southeast WV)National Weather Service Pittsburgh (Northern Panhandle)

State Of Emergency Declared For Pocahontas County Schools, Updates Provided For Other State School Interventions

The board approved the declaration at their monthly meeting Wednesday based on a report of on-site Special Circumstance Review conducted at Pocahontas County High School in the fall of 2024 at the request of County Superintendent Lynne Bostic.

The West Virginia Board of Education has declared a state of emergency for Pocahontas County Schools.

The report outlines several areas of noncompliance with state school policy, including Principal Nicole Rose-Taylor’s inability to access footage from special education classrooms or release student transcripts due to lack of systems access.

“During the first onsite visit which occurred on October 22, 2024, the principal relayed she did not have access to review the cameras in the special education classrooms, as required by policy and code,” the report states. “The principal stated she had made central office staff aware that she needed access.”

The principal also requested access to the state transcript-sharing platform, but neither access issue had been corrected at the time of a second site visit Nov. 7.

The report indicates that many of the issues go back to staffing and leadership issues. Rose-Taylor was only hired in August 2024, and the school’s counselor left in September but according to the report “a qualified replacement has not been found.”

“The comprehensive school counseling program plan was not current at the time of the review,” said Alexandra Criner, director of accountability for the West Virginia Department of Education. She presented the report to the board Wednesday. “We did not have a certified school counselor employed, but it was evident from the review that the services had been lacking for some time.”

Criner also outlined issues with scheduling and student credits.

“Evidence indicated a student was transcribed inaccurate transfer credits, and that that may have been done as an intentional act and not as just a simple error,” she said.

Criner said that the report was ready for presentation at the board’s January meeting, which was cancelled due to inclement weather, and therefore the county and state department have already started working on some of the identified issues.

Key findings include:

No process to develop student personal education plans (PEPs)
Student schedules were not prepared in advance of the 2024-25 school year
School leaders lacked expertise and the necessary access to the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS) to transcribe grades and complete other important tasks
The county did not provide adequate mentorship or support to assist the new high school principal’s transition into the new leadership role
Insufficient security measures at the school led to inadequate safety supports
Some special education processes and procedures did not meet state or federal standards and/or requirements

Pocahontas is the fifth school district to be placed under state control in as many years. Pursuant to WVBE Policy 2322, Pocahontas County Schools now has six months to work on a corrective action plan, and an update will be provided to the board at their August meeting. A lack of progress over the next six months could lead to the vacating of the county superintendent’s position, among other more serious interventions.

State Intervention Updates

The board also heard updates from three districts that were placed under a state of emergency or state control in recent years, including Logan, Hampshire and Upshur counties.

Reports presented to the board indicated that Logan and Upshur counties continue to make steady progress in addressing challenges in finance, operations, leadership, student success and personnel.

The board also voted to release Hampshire County Schools from a State of Emergency in Special Education after determining the district is making progress and will maintain the protocols and practices necessary to support continued improvement.

School Closures and Consolidations

The board approved the closure and consolidation of three schools in Nicholas County, and the closure and consolidation of two schools in Tyler County.

Summersville Elementary School, Glade Creek Elementary School and Summersville Middle School in Nicholas County will be merged into a new Summersville Academic Complex PreK-8, scheduled to open for the 2027-28 school year.

Arthur I. Boreman Elementary School and Sistersville Elementary School will merge into a new Tyler Consolidated Elementary School upon the completion of a new facility scheduled to open for the 2027-28 school year.

Charter Schools Stimulus Fund

The board approved the Charter School Stimulus Fund, which was created by the state legislature with Senate Bill 47 in 2023. The fund, which allocates public funds to assist with charter school start-up costs, will be administered by the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board with oversight from the board.

The fund has never been appropriated money by the legislature since its creation, but the policy establishes an accountability structure for the award and expenditure of these funds.

Charter school advocates have long said a lack of startup funds makes it difficult for brick and mortar charter schools to open in the state. In October House Bill 227 passed during a special session. It authorized a public charter school to apply to the state School Building Authority (SBA) for funding to purchase a building. That process is nearing completion for the distribution of $5 million to the state’s four brick and mortar charter schools.

Personal Electronic Device Usage in Schools

Policy 4374 will be placed on public comment for 30 days from filing and is available on the WVDE website. The policy establishes minimum standards and requirements for county boards of education to limit the use of personal electronic devices by students in grades K-12. This policy was developed to minimize disruptions and ensure these devices do not interfere with the educational process in order to increase academic achievement for public school students.

Many school districts across the state have already taken their own action against device usage in schools in recent years with device bans.

The next regularly scheduled WVBE meeting is 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

State Of Emergency Declared For Cabell, Kanawha Counties Over Storms

The governor has placed Cabell and Kanawha counties under a state of emergency due to severe weather conditions that began Wednesday.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey placed all 55 West Virginia counties under a state of preparedness Wednesday, eyeing National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts of flash flooding, strong winds and freezing rains.

But the governor’s office announced Thursday that fallout from the storms warranted a more significant emergency preparedness declaration for the two southern West Virginia counties.

During a press briefing Thursday, Morrisey said his office would watch weather conditions throughout the state to determine whether additional support was needed on the local level.

“We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to help local counties address the immediate needs of the storm,” he said.

In his emergency declaration later that day, Morrisey cited “downed trees, power outages and road blockages” in Cabell and Kanawha counties that could pose a risk to residents.

“The effects of the storm pose a severe and continuing threat to the health, safety, welfare and property of the citizens of Cabell and Kanawha counties,” the declaration read.

Morrisey said Thursday afternoon that 18 counties had reported damages “from ice and storms,” and that schools were forced to close in Clay, Lincoln, Mason, Nicholas, Putnam and Wayne counties.

A state of emergency declaration expands the governor’s ability to make financial decisions and mobilize personnel in response to an emergency, including the usage of the Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund, a reserve of funds set aside by the West Virginia Legislature that can be used at the governor’s discretion.

Under a state of preparedness, the state similarly prepares emergency response resources to respond to immediate needs, but the governor’s decision-making authority is more restricted.

Morrisey said state agencies are actively working to address emergency needs within Cabell and Kanawha counties and beyond. He said Thursday that crews from the West Virginia Department of Highways are “clearing debris” and “monitoring the flood risks to ensure travel routes remain safe.”

The West Virginia Emergency Management Division is also “working in close coordination with local emergency managers and first responders to engage in the ongoing response,” he said.

In a press release regarding the emergency declaration Thursday, the governor’s office did not note when the status would expire.

“The state of emergency will remain in effect for thirty days unless terminated by the governor,” the press release read.

In the meantime, the governor’s office urged residents to visit the NWS website for their region of residence for up-to-date weather information. Residents can find more information on their regions at the following links:

Northern Panhandle: NWS Pittsburgh forecast office website.
Eastern Panhandle: NWS Baltimore/Washington forecast office website.
Southeast West Virginia: NWS Blacksburg, Va. forecast office website.
All other regions: NWS Charleston forecast office website.

How To Stay Warm Without Power; Cold Temperatures Expected To Stay Through The Week

With a winter storm warning in effect until early Tuesday morning and temperatures expected to fall to single digits by Thursday, state health officials offered advice and resources to help residents stay warm.

As snow continues falling and freezing across the region, thousands of Mountain State residents are left without electricity.

While advising anyone needing immediate assistance to call 911, state health officials shared advice and resources in a Monday morning press release.

State health officials said it is safest for the more than 50,000 residents without electricity to stay inside their homes, gather in a few rooms, close off unneeded spaces, and place towels or blankets under doors and around windows to conserve heat.

Preventing body heat loss can help prevent hypothermia. The West Virginia Department of Health (DH) advised residents to layer clothing and wear a hat, warm socks and gloves to maintain body temperature during prolonged exposure to cold temperatures.

DH also said snacks like nuts, granola bars and dried fruit can help maintain body temperature and reminded residents to stay hydrated, especially if they exert energy outside in the cold temperatures.

West Virginians without power are also more susceptible to frostbite, hypothermia and dehydration and the DH advised residents to be aware of and watch for signs in their families and neighbors.

Symptoms of frostbite include numbness, tingling, or pale skin in exposed areas. Hypothermia can cause confusion, slurred speech and extreme shivering. Anyone showing any of these signs should seek medical attention immediately.

The DH encouraged West Virginians to check in on elderly or infirm neighbors who may be more vulnerable during power outages.

“Safety and preparedness are critical when facing extreme winter conditions,” said Sherri Young, cabinet secretary of the DH. “We urge everyone to take these precautions seriously and help look out for those in our community who may need assistance during this difficult time.”

For residents with access to a fireplace or woodstove, DH advised they be used cautiously and with proper ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

Health officials also advised anyone using generators or space heaters to place the appliances in a well-ventilated area and far from any flammable materials.

The DH advised residents to make sure they have enough batteries, flashlights, water, nonperishable food, medications and other emergency supplies on hand in case of an extended power outage.

According to the DH press release, residents should contact their county’s non-emergency line for updates on the availability of warming centers in their area.

Residents seeking additional resources can call West Virginia’s 2-1-1 hotline or visit the hotline’s website.