W.Va.'s Elderly Get Vaccinated And Higher Ed Reflects On The Fall This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, we explore how West Virginia’s colleges and universities tackled the pandemic last fall and what they’re hoping to improve on in the spring. Also, we hear the latest news on a newly elected West Virginia delegate who took part in the insurrection in Washington, D.C., we hear a report from a mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic, and we have this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

Pressure is mounting to remove a newly elected delegate from his office at the West Virginia statehouse after he posted a video online of himself taking part in Wednesday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Dave Mistich has more.

West Virginia’s two federal prosecutors say they’ll work with colleagues in the U.S. Justice Department to investigate and hold to account those who took part in illegal activity during Wednesday’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump extremists. WVPB has more.

County health departments are administering vaccinations to West Virginians who are 80 years or older across the state this week. Jessica Lilly visited one mass vaccination clinic in Mercer County Thursday and has this report.

While the coronavirus continues to surge across the country, there’s one group celebrating a victory in the battle against COVID-19 – those involved in West Virginia higher education. Coronavirus cases among college students, faculty and staff in West Virginia remained very low this fall — with a cumulative positivity rate of just 2 percent at all four-year institutions. But as Liz McCormick reports, officials hope to improve in some key areas as higher ed gears up to return to class on Jan. 19.

This week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage comes from Nov. 2019, with Ohio based duo Cave Twins. Featuring David Mayfield on mandolin and Abby Rose on guitar, the pair sing beautiful harmony for our Song of the Week, “Keep on Singing.”

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 West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

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

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Glynis Board, Caitlin Tan, Jessica Lilly, Liz McCormick, Eric Douglas, Emily Allen, and Roxy Todd.

Andrea Billups is our news director. Dave Mistich is our producer.

Teresa Wills and Chuck Anziulewicz are our hosts.

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