In the News
$1.2 Billion Grant To Expand Broadband Coverage To All W.Va. Homes
by Jack Walker
Spotty internet access has long proven an issue for the mountainsides of West Virginia. In 2023, more than 300,000 households across the state were unserved or underserved by broadband coverage. This month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) found that coverage in the Mountain State ranks second-worst nationally, besting only Alaska. But a new federal grant aims to address current gaps in coverage, ensuring that every household can receive broadband internet services. On Thursday, … Continue Reading
April 12, 2024
Placing West Virginia in the Right Category,
by Editorial Board
It comes as no surprise that federal officials don’t quite have the right words to categorize Appalachia in a way that is useful to the National Center for Education Statistics within the U.S. Department of Education. But U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is hoping to change that with a letter sent to NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr, asking her to consider adding “ruggedness scales” to the measurements used to classify school systems for purposes of allocating federal resources. “West Virginia is … Continue Reading
February 01, 2024
Sen. Manchin: Groundhog Day back on in French Creek, West Virginia
by Charles Young
There will be a Groundhog Day celebration in West Virginia after all, according to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. Although Gov. Jim Justice previously announced the West Virginia Wildlife Center in French Creek had been temporarily closed by federal order, the state's favorite weather-watching rodent will have a chance to make his prediction on Friday, Manchin said in a press release. “After speaking with [United States Department of Agriculture] Secretary Vilsack yesterday, I have been assured … Continue Reading
December 27, 2023
Statesman of the Year: As partisan politics gear up for 2024 election year, West Virginia's Joe Manchin looks for a path to better government
by John Miller
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin said he received an early lesson in politics from his father, and it’s one he’s never forgotten. “Dad was never big in me getting into politics,” Manchin said during a recent in-depth interview. “My Uncle Jimmy (A. James Manchin) was the politician, but Dad always warned me it was a tough business.” But the desire to become a public servant led Joe Manchin to politics, and his dad made sure he understood the responsibility. “I remember when I had an acquaintance that … Continue Reading
October 31, 2023
Manchin challenges EPA's new metallurgical coal rules, warns it will harm W.Va.
by Charles Owens
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is raising concern over a proposed federal Environmental Protection Agency rule that would impact the mining of metallurgical coal. Manchin, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, is asking EPA Administrator Michael Regan to reconsider the rule that amends the National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for coke ovens. Coke is a critical fuel used in the steelmaking process that is created by heating … Continue Reading
October 30, 2023
Beverly Student Headed to D.C.
by Editorial
After hearing the exciting news last week that the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will visit Elkins on Nov. 4, this week we learned that a Beverly Elementary School student has won the statewide Capitol Christmas Tree essay contest. The essay of Ethan Reese, a Beverly fourth-grader, was chosen the winner out of more than 400 entries from across the state, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin. D-W.Va., announced Tuesday. Ethan will travel to Washington, D.C. this holiday season to take part in the … Continue Reading
October 16, 2023
ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub defied the odds
by Dave Wilson
West Virginia was a longshot to be chosen as one of seven regional hydrogen hubs to receive nearly $1 billion in federal funding. Despite an emphasis on locating the hubs near international ports, the Appalachia Regional Clean Hydrogen team won over Biden administration officials during the six-hour in-person interview. “The level of collaboration, the level of mutual respect, the teamwork between the industry, academia, labor, and the communities that is something over six hours you cannot … Continue Reading
September 05, 2023
Crews back at work on West Virginia MVP site
by Charles Young
Crews are back at work constructing the Mountain Valley Pipeline at a site along the Greenbrier River in Summers County. During a recent visit to the site with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Tom Karam, CEO of project developer Equitrans Midstream Corp., said work there would take "a little bit less than two weeks." The developers remain hopeful the project will be completed by the end of year, Karam said. "We've got a couple of months worth of construction remaining, and we're still on track to … Continue Reading
August 21, 2023
Manchin breaks ground on Raleigh County Memorial Airport Industrial Park expansion
by Jillian Risberg
Regional airports are the lifeblood of a community, and that has special meaning for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) a pilot himself. He calls the expansion of the Raleigh County Memorial Airport, that kicked off today’s Beckley groundbreaking — transformative for Southern West Virginia. The $4.5 million he secured in federal investments for the project will develop 105 acres of site-ready property. According to Manchin, it’s a high-priority project so it made sense for everyone from all sides of … Continue Reading
August 18, 2023
Manchin seeks cyber operations to target drug cartels at the border
by Charles Owens
West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin has joined South Dakota Republican Mike Rounds in calling for increased cyber operations at the southern border to combat drug smuggling and human trafficking. Manchin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, and Rounds, a ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, have introduced the bipartisan Countering Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) in Cyberspace Act of 2023. Manchin said the … Continue Reading
August 08, 2023
Manchin, WVSU's Cage discuss possibility of adding agriculture to school
by Ashley Perham
At a roundtable meeting Tuesday, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and West Virginia State University President Ericke S. Cage discussed the possibility of adding an agricultural school to the university. With more than 200,000 farms and over 200 farmer’s markets, West Virginia has an “incredible need” for an agricultural workforce, according to Cage. “We are in a position to help fill that void,” he said. The university, a historically Black school founded in 1891, had a Department of Agriculture … Continue Reading
August 03, 2023
Manchin warns government to step up after Fitch credit rating downgrade
by Chelsey Cox
Sen. Joe Manchin on Thursday called on his colleagues to take sorely needed budgetary steps to strengthen the economy after Fitch credit analysts’ recent decision to downgrade the United States’ long-held foreign issuer default rating. Fitch downgraded the U.S. credit rating from AA+ to AAA on Tuesday, months after having placed the nation’s rating on negative watch in May. The credit rating firm cited the U.S. government’s lengthy debt ceiling debate, along with the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection … Continue Reading
July 31, 2023
U.S. Senators Manchin and Capito successfully earmark $6 million in federal funding for West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s science building addition
by Staff
West Virginia’s U.S. Senators included $6 million for a major addition to the Fredric W. Smith Science Building on the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) campus in a federal appropriations bill approved recently by the Senate Appropriations Committee. “The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine is rapidly adding innovative research and community engagement projects to its medical student experience,” said James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM president. … Continue Reading
July 28, 2023
Nucor receives final permit to build Mason County steel mill
by Staff
Nucor Corp. has received the final permit it needs to begin construction of its $3.1 billion steel mill at the Mason County, West Virginia, community of Apple Grove. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., was the first to announce via news release on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had issued the permit. It was later confirmed by a statement issued by Nucor. The permit allows Nucor to build a large barge loading and unloading dock on the … Continue Reading
July 27, 2023
Manchin: NIL legislation to ‘maintain integrity of collegiate sports’
by Riley Holsinger
Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) spoke on Wednesday about the Protecting Athletes, Schools, and Sports (PASS) Act of 2023, a bipartisan bill which aims to create federal legislation for name, image and likeness contracts in college athletics. “I want to maintain the integrity of collegiate sports,” Manchin said. With another sports year set to begin for collegiate sports, Manchin said he hopes to get the act established as soon as he can. He added that the bill will … Continue Reading
July 12, 2023
U.S. Senate deal provides hope of National Guard reimbursement in time for training
by Brad McElhinny
The U.S. Senate has hatched a deal to reimburse the National Guard — including in West Virginia — for the cost of pitching in to protect the U.S. Capitol following the Jan. 6 mob attack. Brig. Gen. William Crane of the West Virginia National Guard today said he is enthusiastic that a deal could be reached. A big remaining question is whether the funding is assured in time to proceed with Guard training in August. Without it, there was significant doubt that the funding would allow … Continue Reading
July 11, 2023
U.S. Senators Manchin and Rounds call for increased accountability of People’s Republic of China’s role in the illegal trafficking of synthetic opioid drugs
This week, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) sent a bipartisan letter to the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the Department of State to hold the People’s Republic of China (PRC) accountable for its role in the illegal trafficking of synthetic opioid drugs. China is the primary source of the precursor chemicals, which are then processed and manufactured into synthetic opioids by Mexican drug cartels to bring into the United … Continue Reading
July 06, 2023
Manchin: Resources coming to Randolph
by Taylor McKinnie
Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced the designation of Randolph County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) on Wednesday, a move that will deploy additional federal resources to the county and help support the coordination and development of drug control efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement officials. Manchin held a press conference at the Jennings Randolph Federal Building to announce the official designation. He was joined by Dr. Rahul Gupta, the … Continue Reading
July 06, 2023
Huntington facility that cares for infants exposed to opioids to get nearly $500,000 in funding
by Shannon Stowers
Nearly $500,000 in federal funding has been earmarked for a Huntington facility that supports infants suffering from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Lily’s Place is set to receive $481,719 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to support and expand the services it provides, a news release from U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin’s Office said. “Every West Virginian has been impacted by the devastating drug epidemic that continues to ravage our communities, and Neonatal … Continue Reading
July 06, 2023
Morgantown Airport receives $1.8M for airport runway extension
by Staff
The Morgantown Municipal Airport is receiving $1.8 million for an airport runway extension project. Senator Joe Manchin announced the funding from the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday. Officials say the goal of the project is to extend the current runway by 1,001 feet to 6,200 feet. “As a pilot myself, I am pleased the FAA is investing in this runway extension project at the Morgantown Municipal Airport,” said Senator Manchin. “West Virginia’s airports are … Continue Reading
