On this West Virginia Morning, in the wake of school shootings in Kentucky and Florida, there has been a rash of copycat school threats throughout the Ohio Valley, leaving law enforcement and education officials grappling with how to improve security. A school counseling expert from West Virginia University says it’s useful to look at the potential school shootings that did not happen. Glynis Board reports that his work focuses on how schools have successfully averted shooting incidents.
Also on today’s show, West Virginia’s community development grant program recently announced more than 1.5 million dollars in projects focused on broadband access. Nine are for studies and three will actually build out the infrastructure. It’s the first time this grant program is funding broadband projects. One of the studies will focus on Gilbert, Mingo County, where better broadband could have a big impact on the growing tourism industry. Molly Born reports.
We also hear part of a discussion from last night’s episode of The Legislature Today about the energy industry. Host Andrea Lannom spoke with Senator Randy Smith, Chairman of the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee. She asks Smith to address a number of energy-related issues this year, such as the potential of jobs opportunities and for his thoughts on a co-tenancy bill that has sparked much debate at the statehouse.
Lannom also spoke with Executive Director of the West Virginia Rivers Coalition Angie Rosser during last night’s show for her perspective on the energy legislation moving through the Legislature. To hear that portion of The Legislature Today, click here.