Secretary of State Says Staffing Just One Change Since Taking Office

On The Legislature Today, Secretary of State Mac Warner says changing the make-up of his office was necessary after his election in order to move in a new direction. 

A number of the 16 employees were considering filing a wrongful termination lawsuit, but Warner defended his decision saying some of the staff hired to replace them will be out in the field working directly with county clerks, the elected officials he’ll work with directly to administer elections. 

“The campaign had shown that there was quite a bit of dissatisfaction out there, especially among the county clerks,” Warner said. “So, if there’s a broken down system there, you’ve got to make some changes.”

Warner discusses changes in his office and problems with the state’s intended automatic voter registration system.

The West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind have asked lawmakers for years to find a way to fund construction and improvement projects on their ailing campus in the eastern panhandle. Liz McCormick reports Delegates have advanced a bill to aid the schools.

Senators will be voting on a bill tomorrow to regulate the use of drones in the state. The bill has been years in the making, according to its lead sponsor.

One of former-Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s goals during his administration was to help revitalize the economy of southern West Virginia. And although it’s a difficult task, one of his projects to do just that is just beginning to take shape, largely with the help of the West Virginia National Guard. Clark Davis takes us to the Rock Creek Development Park for this look at a long-term project to bring new investment to the area.